Surrogated Affections
by lemonmalfoy
Summary: Draco and his sickly, barren wife needed a child. Their last resort...to find a surrogate mother.All seemed well until a seer foretold that the surrogate, chosen by fate to continue the Malfoy line, would be none other than Hermione Weasley...
1. At The Manor

Disclaimer: Harry Potter created by J.K. Rowling

Story: Draco Malfoy's sickly wife wishes for a child to raise, but is unable to give birth. With a pilfered time turner, and extensive cooperation from one Hermione Weasley, Draco seems to find the perfect answer to all his problems… Eventual DM/HG.

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Surrogated Affections

By: lemonmalfoy

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Chapter 1: Conception Of A Conception- At The Manor

_Malfoy Manor, June 4, 2005. _

Draco Malfoy marveled at how wonderful the massaging knuckles of his hands felt against his aching forehead. He sat in the cool darkness of his wife's bedroom, where he waited patiently and silently.

"Draco… darling…"

Draco's face wearily tips upward from its restful perch near the foot of his wife's bed at the sound of her voice. She was awake again.

"Yes, Astoria..? What is it?" He replies in a soft voice that is weighed down with exhaustion. "Healer Whipple should be here at any moment—"

"A head full of blonde hair like mine, because yours is too pale. Too pale."

Draco sighs dejectedly as Astoria spoke deliriously with her arms thrust out to grasp some invisible object in front of her.

"Like those pale, bloody peacocks outside!"

When he had first married Astoria Greengrass, she was the pinnacle of the wizarding world's ideal trophy wife. She had stunning green eyes and golden hair that was usually pinned back by ornate jeweled hairpins. By far, the prettiest, most eligible witch in their circle of aristocracy, with many suitors already vying for her hand by the time the Malfoys had taken any notice. Naturally, her blood was as pure as a valley of prancing unicorns.

It was a fairly simple conquest for Draco, as shown by the grandiose wedding of himself to the beautiful Miss Greengrass naught but four months later.

Now, it was difficult for Draco to see her in her current state. So pathetically shrunken, bedridden, crazed and unstable. So far and away from the pretty young witch she used to be. It was as if death had already curled its bony fingers around her, slowly squeezing the life out of her body.

"A little baby with golden locks like mummy…" She sang as she kicked the rich colored comforter from her legs.

Draco uncurled himself from the end of the bed and slowly made his way to his wife's side.

Life seemed so incredibly unfair to him in that moment. As if he hadn't suffered enough already…

And now…his wife...

Draco knelt silently beside the frail woman, tenderly wrapping his long fingers around her outstretched hands and then pulling them down to rest upon her lap. He pulled the discarded bed covers securely over her chest, and tucked it under her chin.

It had all started a year ago, on a hazy summer day at the Malfoy Manor.

_Lovely Astoria Malfoy was gossiping cheekily with her mother-in-law concerning the curious whereabouts of her former schoolmates in the large dining room. It started as a fairly normal conversation that was punctuated every now and again with chortles of disbelief, condescending snorts, and graceful 'harumphs'. _

"_Honestly… once I was finished, she pushed me out of the line! While I was just about to pay! She still can't let bygones be bygones, that horrid Parkinson woman…" Astoria let out a frustrated sigh, and daintily brought the cup of tea to her lips. _

_Then, starting from the pinks of her fingertips, to the very ends of her blonde hairs, her entire body began to pale. Her peach-tinged face was mysteriously draining of all its color. Gradually it seemed that even the emerald of her eyes, and the gold in her curls were fading, as if being instantly bleached by the light of the sun. Suddenly her hands started to shake, and the tea cup, which she cradled within them, slipped to the floor. Narcissa looked oddly at Astoria as the teacup smashed into tiny bits under the table. "Don't worry dear. I'll take care of the mess." And she then snapped her fingers for the house-elves. "Do be careful next time, Astoria, dear. Priceless teacups, you know." After a new cup of tea and a few pastries were re-administered to the Manor mistresses, Narcissa finally began to notice that her daughter-in-law's entire being began to turn stark white. Then, with a shriek of fear and alarm, the elder Mrs. Malfoy witnessed her daughter-in-law finally crumple to the floor in a tremoring heap._

_The healers at St. Mungo's had diagnosed it as a rare magical ailment called the Bloodless Sickness, in which an untraceable, unbreakable enchantment spreads itself through blood veins in the victim's body, eventually dissolving all the blood held within. Victims of the disease wither away slowly and painfully until death claims them, as there is no cure found at present. _

_It is said to have originated from the back-firing of a modified Scourgify spell which Dark Wizards and Witches used to torture Muggle-borns by "cleaning" their "filthy blood"… how ironic that the utterly despicable curse would turn on the Pure-Bloods in such a manner. _

But…his poor Astoria shouldn't be the one suffering, then. It should be _him…_

Draco almost growls out loud in anger, drowning in his muddled thoughts and memories until his wife starts to speak again.

"I want a child, Draco. I want to hold a baby in my arms."

Astoria breaks her arms free from the covers to grab at the air in front of her once more.

"Let's have a baby…" She continues, her words seem to physically impact Draco as his whole being starts to crumple and shrink inwardly as he knelt beside her. His pale hands shake slightly as they take hold of the small woman's even paler ones.

Another terribly unfair blow dealt by life.

Astoria Malfoy, his beautiful wife of five years, was not only deathly ill, but she was also barren.

Draco, personally, could never remember a time when he didn't think about his future children. He thought about having children so much, he could swear he could hear the giggles of children echoing through the halls of the Manor sometimes.

While still attending Hogwarts, he would daydream of his future children participating in the Sorting Hat ceremony in the Great Hall. They would be sorted into Slytherin, of course. Natural born quidditch players, the lot of them. Top marks in the school and everything in between that causes one to become a pompous, boastfully proud parent. He'd imagine those same silvery-blonde, grey-eyed miniatures torturing Potter, Weasley, and Granger miniatures, and he'd become instantly giddy with anticipation.

Now that these dreams could never be, it hurt him indefinitely whenever Astoria, in her delirium, would mention her longing for a baby of their own.

"If it's a boy, I'd name him Hyperion. Like papa…"

"Maybe you should rest a little bit more until the healer arrives." Draco gives a tiny squeeze to the delicate hand within his own.

"And the girl will be named Hestia. Like mummy…"

Before he is about to object to his wife's wayward suggestions, a knock is heard on the tall bedroom door. Then after a moment or two, the pleasant, red-haired head of an old woman pops into view. Her appearance is that of an average older witch, except her startling, ruby red hair that is piled into a beehive of curls on the top of her head, and her brilliant, lime-green eyes that matched her Healer's robes.

"Mister and Missus Malfoy? May I come in?" The old healer asks hurriedly, though she had already progressed half-way to Draco's side before he could respond.

"Yes, Ruby." Draco says weakly, almost wincing once he notices the desperation in his own voice. "The spell. Be quick about it. She isn't doing so well."

He slowly smoothes back the stray silvery-blonde hairs that had escaped into his eyes and steps aside to let the healer through.

"Don't you worry, Mr. Malfoy. After the blood transfusion, she should come back to her senses. She always does." The Healer, Ruby Whipple, laughs and pats his arm kindly… then tosses him effortlessly onto a nearby chair with a strength uncharacteristic for a witch of her age.

"Do you always have to be so rough?" Draco whines, rubbing his lower back in pain. He was sure he heard a few unnatural crackling sounds coming from the bones in his body as it hit the chair.

"Rough? Whatever do you mean, dear?"

The red-haired witch chuckles heartily and swiftly taps her wand to his forearm, the wand sparking to life with magic as soon as it touched his skin.

Then, from Draco's arm to the same spot on Astoria's arm, she draws a bright white line in the air, connecting to both arms.

"_Sanguify." _

As soon as she utters her spell, the white line of magic turns crimson red. Astoria's cheeks turn a pale pink and the color of her eyes brighten considerably. After a few more moments of the magical transfusion, Healer Whipple double taps her wand to both Malfoys' arms, and the red line disappears.

"There you are, Mrs. Malfoy! How are you feeling?"

Astoria yawns in response to the healer's inquiry. "Better, I suppose. I'm tired. I think I'll take a nap…" She replies clearly, her voice devoid from any derangement as she turns from the aged healer and her weary husband, slipping into a peaceful slumber.

Healer Whipple, who continues with Astoria's check-up, suddenly bellows out a loud snort of approval and begins to speak. "All is as well as it should be. What was she going on about before I got here?"

"Just the… usual."

Draco sighs. His pallid, pointed face grimaces, becoming quiet after he stares at his wife's back as she slumbers on.

"I wish she would stop already." He mutters coldly, rubbing his arm to get rid of the numbing after effects of the blood transfusion spell .

"I'm certain that having a child would improve her health, spiritually and physically. Children possess a miraculous healing power that works better than magic sometimes."

Whipple uses her wand to conjure potions from her standard, St. Mungo's-Issued, extension charmed pack.

"Why don't you grant her that baby already, Sir?"

She says matter-of-factly, her eyes never straying from their squinting position directed to the potion bottle in her hand. Draco stops rubbing his arm abruptly, turning his full attention to the elderly healer witch. _Grant her… that baby?_

"Now, is this the batch I brewed yesterday, or today?" Ruby mutters to herself, absentmindedly running weathered fingers against the glass of the bottle.

Draco's grey eyes narrow into small slits. "What on earth do you mean..?"

"Oh. I seem to have packed another patient's pain relief potion in here as well. Merlin knows what trouble I'd be in if they were swit—"

"No, no. The baby. The baby!" Draco exclaims in annoyance at Ruby's babbling. "You said something about 'granting her' a baby…"

His knuckles poised and ready near his forehead to attack the next bout of shooting pains that threatened to ambush his temples.

"Ah." Ruby's yellow-green eyes sparkle in recognition of what point he was getting at. After a few moments of suspenseful silence, she speaks slowly, carefully controlling the tone of every word from her mouth for what she thought to be dramatic emphasis.

"It is entirely possible for you to grant her her innermost wish of gaining you your children, Mr. Malfoy…"

Draco purses his lips together, and gives the mirthful, old healer his best, pure-blooded, condescending look of incredulous distaste.

He and Astoria had tried every magic spell and potion in existence to try and conceive, but to no avail. Then, when she became sick, her body had become completely incapable to sustain and carry life within her. To the best of his recollection, Healer Ruby Whipple was the exact witch that had diagnosed his wife's unfortunate inability to produce offspring…

If the old hag knew all of this, what exactly was she up to?

"Don't look at me like that… do you want me to tell you, or not?"

"How..?" He asked, in a croaked whisper.

"It's simple, really. You need to find yourself a surrogate to birth one for you." Astoria sighs contentedly from behind them, causing both the old healer and the young Master Malfoy to freeze. Once they were sure that she was slumbering peacefully again, they huddled closer, whispering amongst themselves.

"A… what?" Draco inquires, not quite understanding the term _surrogate_.

"Honestly, I never thought about it until I talked to my cousin Periwinkle the week before."

The old Healer administers the correct potion to Astoria as she sleeps, pouring a substantial amount into her opened mouth. She pushes her jaw closed with an expert hand, and uses a clean cloth from her pocket to dab off the excess liquid that was left on her paled lips.

"Unable to have children, she was. So they found a young woman who was willing to bear one for them to raise as their own."

Draco smirked at her. "Still… it wouldn't be my own. We've already considered adopting, and Astoria would have none of it. Neither will my mother or father, for that matter…"

"On the contrary, young sir… Periwinkle's husband was the father. He combined his seed with the surrogate, and she became pregnant with his child."

Draco's eyes grew wide as he found himself speechless. All he could do was blink profusely.

"Y-you're telling me to…you think I should cheat on my wife for a kid..?"

Well, he certainly hadn't thought about that one…

"Only if you want—of course not! Of all the silly things, Mr. Malfoy!" Ruby's laughing voice stirred the sleeping Astoria, and so she quieted down, pointing her finger at Draco's pointed nose. "Here is what I propose…"

There was a way to have his own offspring, _without _committing adultery? Draco was listening intently. So intently that he didn't notice that while he was inclining his head down to hear Healer Whipple's intriguing words, his ear had flattened itself to the side of her wrinkled face. And Whipple, being the odd witch that she was, continued to speak, unhindered by the grown man's ear which was plastered to her temple.

"It's a new thing we copied from muggle doctors. Your seed would be magically implanted into a surrogate mother, and she will birth an heir for you and your wife."

Draco Malfoy felt the excitment fluttering in his chest like a hummingbird's wings when she mentioned _heir_.

_His _heir.

Without a doubt, and without hesitation, he found himself desperately eager to try this surrogate mother business.

But… was Astoria truly well enough to go through with raising a child, even if they both wanted one?

_I'm certain that having a child would improve her health…_

_Children possess a miraculous healing power that works better than magic sometimes…_

With the words of the batty old healer resonating in his skull, he threw a glance over to his sleeping spouse.

She turned, smiled slightly whilst her eyes were still shut, and then burrowed her face comfortably into her pillow.

_Children possess a miraculous healing power…_

Draco's breath hitched inside chest for a moment, then he began to speak.

"What do we need to do..?"

A sparkle danced in the old witch's eyes as she nodded her head with a knowing smile.

"There's a place in Diagon Alley that you and your missus should go to when she gets enough rest…"

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**Preview**

**Next Chapter: Conception Of A Conception: At The Burrow **

"**Come on, Hermione. Remember…we both agreed that we'd start our family when I've been hired as an Auror **_**and **_**when we've moved out of the Burrow…" Ron states cautiously, raising both hands in the air in front of him, making 'calm down' motions in a desperate attempt to settle her down. **

_**On their wedding night, instead of engaging in fun, married-people "activities", much to Ron's dismay, Hermione spent the whole night planning their whole life, writing vast amounts of goals on countless rolls of parchment, and conjuring magical data charts in the air for him to study (and take notes). The **__**Future Family **__**section in Hermione's repertoire was utterly gigantic. "Our major goals need to be accomplished before we have children, Ron." Hermione's back was turned to her freshly wedded husband, who had fallen asleep between her **__**Bathroom Etiquette **__**and **__**Muggle Hygiene Awareness**__** presentations. "I don't want us to be one of those kind of parents who have kids, then can't accomplish anything because of them in the future." She scratches her head thoughtfully, analyzing the scrolls in front of her. "So… I've perused through the goals—" Perused in this case, meaning she's read and carefully considered every one of the four-hundred and fifty-one goals that she had penned onto various scrolls. "—and the two of the highest and uttermost of importance are you becoming an Auror, and owning our own home. Our family's future will stay stable by beginning stable, as mother always says…" When Ron finally awoke, his hand was glowing because of a recent enchantment. "Aaaah! Hermione! What've you done to me!? I-I swear I was just resting my eyes!!"**_

"_**It's nothing Ron. This is just so you'll remember the importance of the priorities we've set…"**_

"**You made me keep a jinxed promise, just short of an unbreakable vow in agreement. I'm not about to get myself blown-up to pieces by getting you pregnant now…"**

Ew… my first fanfic. I love DM/HG. *sigh*

-lemonmalfoy


	2. At The Burrow

Disclaimer: Harry Potter created by J.K. Rowling

DH Compatible as much as possible. Eventual DM/HG. As it should be.

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Surrogated Affections

By: lemonmalfoy

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Chapter 2: Conception Of A Conception- At The Burrow

_Outside The Weasley Burrow, June 4, 2005. _

Hermione Jean Weasley sighed heavily as she lay peacefully on the grassy lawn in front of the Burrow.

The warm sun beamed softly, and a pleasant breeze churned the vibrant greenery all around her in peaceful waves. Bright, fluffy clouds poured gently across the cerulean sky, bringing about a feeling of absolute serenity through its awesome grandeur.

In that moment, everything in Hermione's life felt perfectly wondrous.

She was convinced that she had reached nirvana.

With that epiphany warming her thoughts, Hermione laid her hand gently upon the source of her joy, whose small head slumbered warmly on her chest. It was a baby boy with dark hair and puffy, cherubic cheeks, tinged with a soft pink glow.

She never had realized how good it felt to cradle a baby in her arms, always thinking herself to be rather horrible with children.

But now…

The young Mrs. Weasley hugged the sleeping child in her arms and suddenly began to feel something awaken deep within her. It was a feeling she couldn't name, taking her all of thirty minutes to try and coax an answer from her brain. Being who she was, having a stupor of thought over _anything _drove her mad.

Well… as mad as a person who had reached nirvana can be.

In a moment of pure maternal instinct, she leans her head forward to bury her nose in the baby's unruly mop of hair. Her lips place a tender kiss to the crown of his head.

"Darling little angel…" The enraptured woman squeals, snuggling the baby warmly within her arms.

"Is there any chance I could have my son back?"

A cheery voice invades the bubble of bliss surrounding Hermione, bringing her crashing back down to earth.

The noise of the Weasley-Potter-family-and-friends-get-together roars once more in her ears, and her mind registers the crowds of people around her. Among the throngs were the entirety of the Weasley clan, dozens of schoolmates from Hogwarts such as Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, and many more loyal family friends from the Ministry and so on. Hermione had strangely forgotten they were all there while in her own little heaven with the baby.

She blinks her eyes a couple of times in sudden realization of her surroundings, sitting up gently with the baby still pressed to her chest with her arms.

"Anything wrong, Hermione? You look a little dazed."

The voice speaks again, this time accompanied by a warm hand rubbing Hermione's lower back. Her head turns slightly to find her dearest friend, Harry Potter, leaning towards her, concern filling his bright, green eyes.

"Oh, I… well… no. Nothing is wrong." Hermione struggles with her words as she gazes at Harry's napping child cradled in her clutches.

"James is just so… amazing." She whispers in adoration.

Harry chuckles heartily and his face beams with pride.

"He is, isn't he? I bought him a toy snitch the other day. Caught it right as I turned my back!" Harry laughs giddily. His laughing, however, came to an abrupt halt when he sees his wife, Genevra Potter, part a group of chatting family friends to stand in front of him. A sour, unimpressed look held itself upon her face.

"Harry James Potter. So help me, if you don't change James right now, and he gets a rash…" The red-haired woman points one finger to the Burrow with a stern, expectant glare. Harry yelps, hurriedly scooping baby James from his friend's arms and disappearing within the front door of the Weasley abode.

With her husband gone, Ginny's sour disposition shifts into mirth as she sits herself down in front of Hermione.

"Actually, I put the snitch in James' hands while Harry was occupied. He's quite the adoring father, really." She giggles, but ceases her laughter when she finds that Hermione is staring off into the distance blankly. "How are you feeling, Hermione?"

Truthfully, Hermione was feeling rather odd.

As soon as Harry had taken James, she began to sense something inside of her begin to… _ache_. That was all she could manage to describe what she was experiencing as.

An_ ache_.

Hermione shakes her head to clear her thoughts and responds with a slow smile.

"I still can't believe you're a mum, Ginny. How is it?"

Ginny raises an eyebrow and nods to the older witch.

"Oh… I know that look." She smiles knowingly.

"What look?" Hermione frowns.

"You have the _Baby Ache_!"

"I have the… what?"

"The Baby Ache! When witches are ready to bear children, their bodies are prepared with magic to sustain a future witch or wizard within them. As a byproduct, it causes a little _ache _in the body… that's how Harry and I knew it was the perfect time to start our family. It's the reason why I retired from the Harpies."

_The Baby Ache…is that what it's called? That all sounds… accurate…_ Hermione's mind and body buzzed in recognition.

Ginny's eyes twinkled as she took her sister-in-law's hands within hers and patted them compassionately.

"You need to tell Ron. It may be just what he needs to get his act together—"

"Ginny! Need help…he—it's everywhere!" Harry's strangled voice echoes out of the Burrow. Ginny sighs, dusting grass from her clothes as she stands up.

"I'm off. Oh… and to answer your question… being a mum is more wonderful than a library full of _Magical Medical Marvels_."

Hermione flinched at the mention of something being more wonderful than_ Magical Medical Marvels_. A whole library full of them, nonetheless. Ginny thought herself to be quite clever at this. She knew how obsessed Hermione had become with those blooming books.

The young Mrs. Potter gives one last smile to Hermione as she turns to leave. "Promise me you'll talk to my idiot brother about that Ache."

"Alright." Hermione replies, her heart beginning to pound as her body's ache became more pronounced with the mere prospect of motherhood.

"Ginny! Hurry, please!!" Harry cries out again, this time, sounding as if he's being tortured by something.

"Honestly, Harry… I can't leave you alone for a second…"

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Later that night, in the upper-most room of the Weasley Family Burrow, Ronald Weasley lets out a tired groan as he recounts the experiences of his day at the family party to his lovely, yet equally as tired wife.

"And then, Neville dropped a load of Every Flavor Beans near the broom shed, and the whole place was swarming with those bleeding gnomes. Mum got all of us de-gnoming the yard. She even managed to get Fleur to chuck em. A might clever that woman."

Ron reclined leisurely on their bed, his ankles crossed and hands behind his head in a very comfortable fashion. He doesn't notice Hermione creeping slowly to his side of the bed.

"Ron. I need to talk to you about something"

"Yeah, Hermione? What is it?"

"Well… it's about the Baby Ache. I feel it."

Ron shot up from the bed, almost knocking Hermione to the ground in the process. His face became heated and his ears burned a bright red.

"I…we…the Ache!? No…we… I…you…!! The B-baby…!!" He communicates in small gasps.

"Yes. I've been reading about it in _Magical Medical Marvels _since this afternoon. It's a fascinating condition…"

Ron starts to get sweaty and gulps nervously as his wife continues to ramble on about her research.

"It's a combination of powerful natural magic that swirls around a spot behind my navel, making a sort of magical cocoon for a baby witch or wizard to gestate in, also causing a warm aching feeling telling me I'm ready throughout my whole body, a sensation sort of like a yearning for chocolate cake but even great—"

"I b-bloody well know what the _Ache _is!" Ron interrupts, looking like he could explode at any moment. "But if you fell… p-pregnant, it'd be a b-big mistake!"

"What is wrong with you? I thought you'd be excited!" Hermione says in confusion.

"No! We can't!! I won't have it!!! Not now…not yet!"

Hermione growls angrily as she grasps a pillow beside her and pelts her red-headed husband squarely in the face.

_Whump!_

"But I'm ready _now_!"

Another hard swipe of the pillow to the now completely crimson, freckled face.

"My body is magically ready to birth children! You should be happy that I'm…I'm… aching!!"

"It's not that! Herm-ow-mione! St-op already-y!" Ronald Weasley tries his hardest to swat away his wife's attacks as she pins him to the bed by straddling his mid-section. She was pretty formidable once she was determined to get her way.

"I will if you if you say 'yes', Ronald. Bilius. Weasley!" Hermione punctuates each word with a swift pillow smack to Ron's reddened face.

_Wham!_

"No!"

_Whack!_

"Yes!"

_Whomp!_

"For the last time… NO! B-loody he—ouch!" Ron pauses for a moment as he tenderly strokes his throbbing head.

"_Is there a book in that pillow_!?" He gasped.

Leave it to the famed "Brightest-Witch-Of-The-Age-Bookworm of Hogwarts" to keep a book tucked in her pillow, unfortunately for her slightly abused significant other.

"I swear, Ronald! _Magical Medical Marvels Volume IX _will take the freckles right from your face if you don't agree to it!!"

The enraged Mrs. Weasley holds her pillow threateningly high above her head, pausing to hear his response.

Ron sees her momentary cessation of violence as his cue to escape. With both hands and a quick twist of his torso, he manages to toss his curly-haired wife screaming over his shoulders and into the pile of mangled pillows and wrinkled sheets at the head of the battlefield. She manages to recover quickly, rolling off the mattress and to her feet. Her arm bends back, armed with her pillow, poised to strike her husband who held a defensive stance on the opposite side of the bed.

"Say you'll give me a child, Ron!" Hermione snarls. "I held little James today, and it felt amazing! I felt complete!!"

She started toward her battered husband once more, yet this time, her eyes were unfocused, her head cocked to the side, and a strange smile pushing at her lips. Her mind was replaying the joyous events of the time she spent with her tiny nephew, but to Ron, it looked like she had lost it, and was about to murder him.

"Then I started this aching thing, and now I'm in a right mess!!"

"C-come on, Hermione, be reasonable. Don't you remember the promise we made on our honeymoon night..?" Now he was starting to sound scared.

"What…promise?"

"I can't believe I'm the only one to remember this… it's important! We both agreed that we'd start our family when I've been accepted as an Auror _and _when we've moved out of the Burrow…" Ron states cautiously, raising both hands in the air in front of him, making 'calm down' motions in a desperate attempt to soothe his seemingly possessed spouse.

"Don't you remember…?" He squeaks as Hermione backs him into the wall behind him. But she was listening to him now, one eyebrow lifted in reponse to his question.

Then she did remember, as quick as a golden snitch on a quidditch pitch…

_On their wedding night, instead of engaging in fun, married-people "activities", much to Ron's dismay, Hermione spent the whole night planning their whole life, writing vast amounts of goals on countless rolls of parchment, and conjuring magical data charts in the air for him to study (and take notes). The __Future Family __section in Hermione's repertoire was utterly enormous... _

"_Speaking of children…." _

_Hermione's back was turned to her freshly wedded husband, who had fallen asleep between her __Bathroom Etiquette __and __Muggle Hygiene Awareness__ presentations. He snored quietly in his chair while she spoke._

"_I think it would be wise to pick two major goals which we need to accomplish before we jump head first into the murky waters of parenthood." _

_She scratches her head thoughtfully, analyzing the scrolls in front of her. "So… I've perused through the goals—" Perused in this case, meaning she's read and carefully considered every one of the four-hundred and fifty-one goals that she had penned onto various scrolls. "—and the two of the highest and uttermost of importance are you becoming an Auror, and owning our own home. Our family's future will stay stable by beginning stable, as mother always says…"_

_When Ron finally awoke, his hand was glowing bright blue, and his blushing bride was holding a lighted wand with a determined look on her face. _

"_Aaaah! Hermione! What've you done to me!? I-I swear I was just resting my eyes!!" He cries out in protest as he waves his lighted hand in the air as if it was on fire. _

"_Relax! It's nothing Ron." Hermione says as her wand hand hovers toward Ron. " This is just so you'll remember the importance of the priorities we've set…"_

"_No children until after you've become an auror and we have a home of our own…" She chants, the inflection of her words signaling for the redhead across from her to repeat what she had uttered._

"_No children until after I've become an auror and we've a home of our own." Ron mutters obediently, groaning inwardly. _

"_What have I gotten myself into..?"_

Those two rules had become an unspoken rule in their relationship from that point on. So unspoken, in fact, Hermione had somehow completely forgotten about it.

"You made me keep a jinxed promise, just short of an unbreakable vow, to not give you any children until after we got those two things. And believe me, I'm not about to get myself blown-up over getting you pregnant…"

"Then…I'll just undo it!" Hermione screams, her eyes narrowing dangerously. Ron gulped loudly once more.

No matter how threatening she seemed, it was all a bluff. Unfortunately, she couldn't simply just 'undo' a jinx that was made with so much effort and passion on her part. The only flaw being found in the wording: "_This is just so you'll remember the importance of the priorities we've set…"_.

It should have been "so _we'll _remember the importance of priorities we've set…".

"N-now… you know you can't do that! That kind of magic is very temperamental…sh-shouldn't be t-trifled with.

Please be reasonable, cupcake…" Panic filled Ron's head as he recognized the fact that he had called his headstrong wife a sugary baked good. Whenever he felt threatened, he resorted to sweets as pet names for his beloved witch.

He simply didn't know what to do at this point, so Ronald Weasley was left with two dangerous options…

Limbs being blown-up by a jinxed promise for impregnating his wife or limbs being blown-up by his wife for _not _impregnating his wife.

Ron's head felt like it was about to explode (effects of the jinx or not, he couldn't quite tell). All he knew was that he wasn't an Auror, and the Burrow, definitely, was not their own home.

"Can't we talk about this later? George needs me to check the shop real quick…" He had hoped to throw her with his excuse, but it didn't seem to faze the woman at all.

"You're all about plans and thinking ahead. This is so out of character for you… " Ron sighs in frustration, squirming against the wall of his room.

"I _am _thinking ahead! If I wait any longer, I fear I'll go mad… I want to have children _now." _Hermione frowns, menacingly closing in on her confused husband. Her voice serious and deep. "Take the ache away…_"_

"Have you gone mad?! I said no!! You bloody well know why! I-I'd rather… kiss a giant spider's egg sac than have you pregnant and me painfully popped open…!"

Silence fills the room.

Ron's legendary bad timing was in rare form today.

"Gaaaaaaahhh!"

A girlish shriek shot out from the male in the room, and then the pillows flew.

Molly Weasley, who "just so happened to be in the vicinity", knocked rapidly on the door that read 'Hermione and Ron's Room', believing her youngest son to be in peril due to the amount of pained cries she heard. She gave out a startled breath when the door swung open, letting loose a maelstrom of white feathers.

Ron shot out from the door, nearly knocking his mother down the staircase. He had his work robes on, but was covered from head to toe in white fluff.

"Sorry mum! Got to go, uhm… to work!" He huffs, racing down the stairs, shucking the empty pillow case from his shoulder as he flew. "I'll be right back!"

"Work? At this time of night? What in Heaven's name?" Molly whispered in disbelief as the feathers floated through the air like snow.

"Hermione, dear?" The Weasley matriarch steps carefully into the fray of white to find her daughter-in-law sitting near a pile of decimated pillows on the wooden floor in the center of the room. "Well… that explains the feathers." Molly says thoughtfully, bringing a cautious hand to grasp the girl's shoulder.

Hermione sat with her knees pushed to her chest by her clasped hands and her long, rather impressive bush of curly hair draped over her face, hiding it from view. She was too embarrassed with herself to meet the eyes of the mother of the house.

"I'm fine, Molly. Just… fine." Hermione's words seemed to drip with her unseen tears of shame.

She had gotten so angry with Ron. She didn't even notice that her magic was picking up the pillows on the bed and hurtling them towards him, exploding on contact. The mattress would have been next if she hadn't been interrupted by Molly's rapping at the door.

"You look terrible, sweetheart. What happened?" The older Mrs. Weasley bends down, patting her daughter's head lovingly.

"I don't know what's come over me." Hermione moans in disbelief.

"The Baby Ache is not only made up of magic… it stirs up your body's hormones quite a bit." Molly smiles kindly as Hermione's head shoots up in response. "And with that extra amount of magic pulling us about, all witches act strangely and are unable to think as clearly while under the Ache. I've had quite a _few_ of them before, you know."

"How did you know that I..?"

"I couldn't help but… _overhear." _ The older witch laughs, and then adds, "And, Ginny told me this afternoon that you had been feeling the magic push from it."

Hermione laughs at herself pathetically and gives a small smile.

"If I don't have a baby, how will that horrible yearning sensation go away…?" She whispers, Molly chuckling merrily in reply.

"What _Magical Medical Marvels _failed to mention, and what no one but a witch who's already given birth knows, is that the Baby Ache is only brought about when a baby will be born in the definite future. It's not telling you that your body is ready for pregnancy, but that it most definitely _will _be pregnant. It almost seems as if magic works together with fate to tell you your future witch or wizard will be born soon, so you'd best prepare for it…"

Hermione's reddened eyes grow wide with understanding, and excitement.

"So, that means the important goals Ron and I have been working towards will be accomplished!"

"Maybe so, maybe so." Molly taps her chin thoughtfully. "Regardless of anything, I am excited for you Hermione. And don't worry about Ron… I have a feeling everything will work out for the best."

Hermione feels a giant weight lifted off of her as she rises from her seat on the ground to hug her wonderful mother-in-law.

"Thank you for everything, Molly."

"Anytime, dear! Now, I'm off to the kitchen to get rid of _my_ ache with some of that chocolate cake left from this afternoon. Care to join me?"

Taking a moment to look down to her flat stomach and tenderly placing her hand over her navel, Hermione nods with renewed energy, and follows the elder Mrs. Weasley down the stairs.

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**Preview**

**Next Chapter: A Small Prophecy in Diagon Alley**

"**N-no… anyone but **_**her**_**…anyone!!" Draco groans desperately, his words coming out in hoarse gasps. **

**He threw himself dramatically against the nearby alley wall, hoping that Astoria would be able to grasp at how much emotional pain she was inflicting upon her husband's soul at that very moment. **

"**I DO NOT want to do what that seer says! I want another one..."**

"**My Inner-Eye has foretold it… I guess..." The aged seer rubs her temples with the extremely gnarled fingers on her weathered hand as she recovers from her prophetic trance. **

**Draco swiftly turns to tower above the old woman, his tall form shaking slightly in anger and disbelief.**

"**Yeah? Well… I wonder what would happen if I were to gouge that Inner-Eye right out of its socket, you sick old bat…"**

Second chapter finished! This story is a rather long one. Sorry. I'm writing this story because I wished so hard for another way for D/Hr to work out. It will play out as close to the canon story as possible. Have fun watching me struggle, okay?

If anyone would like to review and give me feedback, I am open and willing to accept them.

Thank you to:

xxsugaxx :thank you for my very first review! I appreciate your kind words!!

Xx Half Blood Princess xX

rowenra

Jvera

Thank you for your interest!!

-lemonmalfoy

Dramione lives…


	3. Diagon Alley The Mother of Pearl

Disclaimer: Harry Potter created by J.K. Rowling.

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Surrogated Affections

By: lemonmalfoy

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Chapter 3: A Small Prophecy in Diagon Alley

Storm clouds curled themselves together in the firmament above Diagon Alley.

The looming, dark grey masses continued to crowd out the sun that only a moment ago had been shining optimistically bright throughout the entire sky. Dark shadows now stretched over the paved streets and winding pathways between the many wizarding shops, causing the normally vibrant buildings to look dull and skeletal.

The streets were populated with the usual crowds of witches and wizards of all ages, shapes, and sizes, but apparently, there were no smiles or laughter among them that day.

Everything in Diagon Alley seemed as grey as the skies above it.

"Why does it have to be so dark and gloomy _only_ when I am well enough to go outside…?"

"Maybe it's just like this all the time."

"What was that, Draco, dear? I couldn't quite hear you from here."

"Mm nothing. It was nothing."

"The rain will ruin my hair…"

An acrid smell emanating from the street gutters mixed with metallic rain attacked Draco's pointed nose, his lips drawing out an unpleasant sneer in response. He pushed Astoria's wheel chair slowly through small puddles of water, cautiously avoiding any large cobblestones that threatened his wife's comfort.

The Malfoy scion had spent an entire week drowning in a pool of anxiety whilst waiting for Astoria to become well enough to withstand travel by magic.

She was ecstatic once he had told her that they were going to have a baby after all, through a surrogate mother. From then on, she began willing her weak body to become stronger in anticipation for the trip to the special clinic in Diagon Alley. To Draco, her efforts meant that this baby idea was already beginning to work.

As per Ruby's detailed directions, the place was a small building located just past the popular booksellers shop, Flourish and Blotts, and was painted a bright red color with silver windows.

"Are we there yet, Draco?" Astoria sighed impatiently.

"No, not until we pass Flourish and Blotts, right over there."

"But, I see the gold window panes!"

"Astoria, we're looking for silver windows, not gold ones…"

Today, Astoria's dull blonde curls were decorated with several jeweled butterflies that sparkled every time she moved her head. The accessories had been enchanted to flutter their wings in time to the wearer's heartbeat. They were part of the _Fluttering Heart Collection_ of jewelry, famous among the elite in the wizarding world, and very, very pricey.

Draco had thought it a terrible idea to wear such eye-catching things in public, but his darling wife threatened to have a fit if she couldn't go outside looking her absolute best.

His eyes darted about Diagon Alley, looking for any signs of danger.

Being a former Deatheater had its drawbacks. If recognized by the wrong person, even a simple outing such as this could mean harm for himself and his ill wife.

He hated having to live this way, constantly having to look behind you and always living in fear for your life, even with the Dark Lord dead and gone all these years.

While hunting the surrounding alley streets for suspicious activity, the young Mister Malfoy saw something glow in the corner of his vision.

His eyes were inexplicably drawn to a female figure that stood in a solitary beam of sunlight that shone through the cold wall of clouds. She was having an enjoyable conversation with the bookseller in the front of the shop. Her long chestnut curls spilled over her shoulder as she leaned casually against the doorframe with several large books in her opposite arm, all of them expertly propped up against her hip. The woman was quite beautiful, with a fetching smile that made her ocher eyes glitter. It was a memorable grin that he was sure he had seen many times before.

He couldn't stop staring at her and slowed in pace the further he moved past the radiant lady. She was just so familiar…

While focusing on her face, he felt a name resurface from the back of his mind and stick itself to his tongue like a half-melted chocolate frog.

"G-ran-ger..?"

As soon as the name rolled from his lips, his eyes widened in recognition, and he was carried away in a speeding whirlwind of memories.

With a glad heart he welcomed the whizzing trails of the familiar bright colors, hallways he once committed to memory echoing with the sounds of thousands of shuffling feet and youthful laughter, the calming smell of old tomes and the reassuring taste of expensive sweets sent from home.

Draco felt a warm fire burn within his chest as he momentarily sifted through the pleasant memories of his past.

_Childhood friendships and brotherly bonds…_

_Crabbe, Goyle, Zabini, Nott…_

_Petty rivalries…_

_Tormenting Potty, Weasel, and the Mudbl—_

As if on cue, the woman he now identified as Granger turned her head slightly in Draco's direction. Her eyes widened in recognition, and her pretty smile was replaced with a puzzled look. Mildly embarrassed that he was caught staring at his former schoolyard enemy in such a way, Draco swiftly turned his head to avoid her gaze, continuing to push Astoria hurriedly away. He fought hard to keep his attention fixed upon a single, sparkling emerald hair pin on her head as they retreated.

"That was Hermione Weasley!"

He hears his wife exclaim as they progress further down the Alley. Draco felt a wave of disgust hit him like the aftertaste of a bitter toothache potion. He had forgotten that Granger had married that idiotic, red-haired, pauper-weasel. _A match made in heaven… _

"Draco isn't this exciting! I read an article about her in Witch Weekly just yesterday! She was named '_The Brightest Witch of the Age' _just this week…"

Draco rolls his eyes heavenward as he patiently listens to the ravings of his seated, significant other.

"Hang on… did you know her, dear?" Astoria pauses, thoughtfully, waiting for a response. "She was in your year wasn't she? Was she a friend?"

"Oh, yes…" He muttered sarcastically. "A very good friend of mine..."

Astoria's butterflies moved daintily in her amusement, and she weakly clapped her hands together.

"We should invite her to tea!"

Her dimmed eyes took on an excited twinkle as Draco nearly fell over her chair at her surprising exclamation.

"N-no! I didn't mean-"He was halted by a green colored glass bottle that was suddenly, and inexplicably, pressed uncomfortably into his cheek.

"Fancy a drink, young master..?" It was a voice that sounded like wind rustling through a field of grain. A very _old _wind rustling through a field of grain…

An extremely drunken crone swayed in front of Draco in a mass of black rags and tattered, faded robes. She looked older than Merlin, he had decided, and was covered in warts and upon looking at her lopsided grin, she was missing all her teeth. Her dark, rag covered twig of an arm continues to hold a bottle of spirits in offering to him.

"Ugh. Drunk old' bat..."

Draco growls out, swatting her hand away in disgust, and proceeded through the entranceway of the clinic.

"Suit yerself…" The old witch slurs, hobbling around a nearby corner, her voice echoing eerily even though she was out of sight. "You'll probably wish you'd taken my offer…"

There was a rather elaborate sign painted above the clinic with a large pink clam shell that held a gigantic, glimmering pearl, and was flanked on either side by large silver lettering that read:

_Mother of Pearl, Wizarding Pregnancy Clinic, the Office of Ruby Pheasant Whipple, Resident Healer._

"Ruby _owns_ this thing?" Draco cries in astonishment. He shakes his white-blonde head in disbelief as he wheels his wife carefully through the silvery front door.

The inside of the _Mother of Pearl_ held a small waiting room that was full of comfortable looking wooden chairs. The ornate crimson and silver wallpaper behind them depicted scenes of flying phoenixes and napping dragons surrounded by a large array of exotic looking foliage. Various couples of wizards and witches sat scattered about in the chairs, all of them ensconced in different Wizarding magazines. One man was reading the Daily Prophet, another was surprisingly browsing through the Quibbler, and nearly all of their wives were stuck nose-deep into a Witch Weekly.

He scowled at the face of Hermione Granger-Weasley, who smiled radiantly from the Witch Weekly covers. The leading title, _Hermione Weasley, crowned by the Wizarding World as the Brightest Witch of the Age, Smart is the new Sexy! See what she thinks of her best friend, Harry Potter! Interview inside! _made Draco give out a sharp laugh and he sneered at the photo of Hermione in a nearby woman's hands. She was as pretty as she had been only moments ago at Flourish and Blotts, turning her head every now and again to flash her small, alluring smile to the readers.

Now, after years of not seeing her, she was appearing everywhere_…_

_Ew… Potter's in it, too?_

There was a large, young man with long, dark hair nearby, who had obviously mistaken Draco's distaste for the bookworm and Saint Potter interview for distaste towards his mousy, little wife, who also had started to cry because she thought the same as well.

"Oy… why're yew laughin' a' my Daisy?" The man rises slowly to tower menacingly above the two Malfoys. Draco's eyes narrow his hand snakes into his coat pocket, grasping his wand.

"I wasn't laughing at _her_, you big oaf. It was the cover of the Witch Weekly she was holding." He said, as calmly as he could. 'Daisy' was now sobbing into her reading materials with little, wet, squeaking noises.

_What a pair of idiots._

"Yew fink _this_ is funny?" The larger man grabs the magazine from his shaking wife with a meaty fist and thrusts it into Draco's pointed nose. "There ain't nuffin' funny 'bout this cover, so I don't believe yew a' all."

_Mr. and Mrs. Blithering Idiot…_

Unfortunately, the blithering idiot looked closely at whom he was talking to, and after a moment or two of picking his brain, knew who he was. His lips curled upwards into a grin that slowly showcased his terrible teeth.

"A Malfoy, ay?" He spat, coming almost chest to chest with Draco who held his arm protectively in front of Astoria.

"You're in this place for a reason, righ'?" The large young man continued to smirk at them as he surprisingly backed off, his gaze settling upon the young Lady Malfoy. "Good thing your wife can' reproduce. It'd be a shame if i' came ou' a murderin' Deatheater anyways."

"You bas—"A soft touch jarred him from the anger that was about to suffocate the accused Malfoy. He looks into the pleading eyes of his wife and manages to compose himself, letting go of his pocketed wand.

"Come, Draco, please. We're already late…" Astoria smiles sadly at her husband from her seated position, her eyes threatening to spill the liquid building up at the corners.

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"So, your cousin, Periwinkle something or other, who you were talking about before… was _your_ patient?"

"That would be correct, sir. I would've sounded biased if you would've known it was my practice and all."

"Well, who was the surrogate? How was she chosen? Where is she now? Does she have any connection with the child…?"

Ruby smiled at the younger Master Malfoy's harried questions.

It was a sweet, yet sad, smile.

"Don't worry yourself about any of that. We only have four steps in this process. Ahem…"

The old, yet vibrantly colored healer waves her white wand, and in one fluid motion, unrolls a giant scroll on the empty wall of her tiny office. The unrolled paper reveals a painted diagram with three moving pictures. She points to the first one, which is a single, spinning eye.

"One… we have to find out who will be the surrogate birth mother of the child. Muggles can find any other muggle and be none the worse, but we magic folk are different. Magical impregnation starts with a Seer, who is shown by the hand of fate, who will be the best vessel to hold your child. Unfortunately, this process can take up to ten years, as we know Seers cannot control the timing and or place of prophecies and such. This is the key step to success and good fortune for you and your child."

Ruby's wand tip next circles a figure of a faceless woman who holds her arms around her belly. A faceless man stands beside her and his stomach glows. Once the ruby-haired healer's wand taps the man, his glow jumps off of the huge scroll and travels over to the woman, in the place she is holding. Her stomach begins to take on a dull shine.

"Two… once the Surrogate is found, and agrees to carry the baby, we will perform a magical procedure to implant her with Mister Malfoy's seed. This will be painless."

Draco winced slightly. It was all still a very strange concept to him.

His _seed_, as she called it_…_ given to another woman…

_Ugh._

Then, his eyes were drawn to the new picture ahead of them. It was a baby set wiggling in the arms of two unknown parents.

_This _picture, he liked.

He could almost imagine Astoria and himself as the two figures, with a little platinum blonde tot giggling between them.

"Three, we wait till she gives birth, having check-ups every month, mind you. Then you have your child, simple as that. Are you ready to start this process?"

Draco and Astoria intertwine their hands together as they nod to each other in agreement.

Ruby's lime-green eyes light up again as she pats Astoria on the back gently.

"Then… you're going to be a mum!" She exclaims, her ruby-red curls stacked high on her head swaying forward with each movement.

"How d'you feel about that?"

Astoria's butterflies flutter rapidly, creating a beautiful, sparkling affect in her curly blonde locks.

"I think we should find a Seer as soon as possible!" She squeals in delight.

Draco could only wring his hands behind her in anticipation. Ruby tries to reassure him the best way she knows how and punches him in the shoulder, sending him staggering back a few steps. He had forgotten how strong the feisty little old witch was.

"And I've got a special friend I can get in here right away." Ruby scratches small nose with the tip of her wand thoughtfully." My owl will fetch her…which will take a couple hours, if we're lucky."

She flicks her wand and summons a piece of parchment and a quill.

"Why don't you two shop around Diagon Alley and come back a little later."

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It sounded easy enough.

Find Seer.

Seer finds surrogate mother.

Surrogate is impregnated with his..._seed, blech_.

Surrogate gives birth to Malfoy heir, and alakazam…

_All _problems solved.

Literally, _all of them._

Draco was so enthralled, that he breezed through the waiting room with Astoria gliding in front of him. He spared nary a glance at the sneering man and his mousy wife who had so angered him before his appointment with Ruby. His magic allowed the silvery door at the entrance to float open to welcome the pair of enlightened Malfoys out onto the street.

As he takes his first step over the threshold, an abnormally strong hand latches onto Draco's arm.

Figuring it to be the disgruntled male from the clinic, Draco whips his body to face his attacker, in hopes to also dislodge his trapped appendage from his grasp. He is startled to find that he is not in the grip of the large man, but of the old, drunken lady from before in the tattered black rags and robes.

"Leave off!" Draco sneers as he attempts to pry the woman's gnarled fingers from his forearm. "I told you I'm not interested!"

She opens her mouth wide, and an eerie, soul-shaking voice erupts into the surrounding area…

"_What is sought by the House of Malfoy… a child of healing. A son to shine through darkness and sins past. Fate's aching brings forth his mother on this eve…seek after the brightest witch of the age to give birth to hope and love renewed, to dispel a future of death and evil. For none other will the paths of destiny align for the House of Malfoy…on this eve… seek after…the brightest witch… of the age…"_

Her head dips low then shoots up, looking as if she were suddenly awakened from a deep sleep.

Draco's heart begins to pound as he stares open-mouthed at the old woman, replaying her words in his mind.

_On this eve…_

_Brightest …_

_Brightest witch…_

_Brightest witch of the age!_

"So… you're well on your way with that baby now, aren't you Mister Malfoy?" Ruby appears beside the older witch clad in black, patting her back.

"This is my Seer friend, Hannah Truelock, whom I have no need to owl anymore, thank you very much, Hannah."

Draco's grey eyes grew larger and larger the more he processed the prophecy.

"Looks like your baby will have an especially special mother... and future role…"

_Brightest witch of the age… brightest witch of the age…_

_Brightest witch of the age…_

_There is only ONE "Brightest Witch of the Age"…_

"Oh, Ruby, nice to see you 'gain. Was I asleep?"

_No… no… impossible._

"No, dear. You were just telling young Mister Malfoy and his lovely Missus here, clear as day…"

_I think I've suffered enough._

"… that their surrogate mother is none other than…"

_Don't worry, Draco…everything will be just—_

"Hermione Granger-Weasley."

_Oh, Merlin._

"Perfect! Draco! This is wonderful!" Astoria claps hysterically from her wheel chair. "Absolutely fantastic!"

The world plummeted around Draco.

"N-no… anyone but _her_…anyone!" He whispers desperately, his words coming out in hoarse gasps.

Ruby chuckles and ignores his obvious pouting. "Nonsense. We'll get in contact with Mrs. Weasely straight away."

Astoria claps once more, bringing her hands under her chin.

"Brilliant! My baby is going to be amazing! A son! A brilliant boy!"

A dreamy look creeps onto her face as she stares off into the distance.

Draco flails his arms in the air and wails.

"NO! There is no way I will combine my… my… _seed_ with Hermione-bloody-Granger!"

"It's Weasley now…" Ruby interjects thoughtfully.

"That makes it even WORSE… ugh!"

He throws himself dramatically against a glowing silver window, hoping that Astoria would be able to grasp at how much emotional pain she was inflicting upon her husband's very soul at that moment.

"I DO NOT want to do what that Seer says! I-I want to find another one..."

The aged seer rubs her temples with the boney fingers on her weathered hand as she further recovers from her prophetic trance.

"My Inner-Eye has foretold it. There's no changin' a prophecy."

Draco swiftly turns to tower above the old woman, his tall form shaking slightly in anger and disbelief.

"Yeah? Well… I wonder what would happen if I were to gouge that Inner-Eye right out of its socket, you sick old bat…"

He turns a pale fist upwards in a threatening position while he is held back by Astoria's hand on his dark coat sleeve.

"Draco is just being humble! I bet he wishes not to have our child so wonderful as to outshine the _normal_ children and make them all feel inferior and such…"

Who was thinking a thousand thoughts per minute at this point?

Draco.

_Of all the people in the entire world, fate and all the magic of time had to go and choose Hermione. Granger. Of all the luck! Of all the rotten, dirty, filthy, stinking, muggle luck! We can't! It's impossible. Hermione Granger won't just…just agree like that! I know she hates me. I tortured her in school. I lived to torture her in school. I dreamt of ways I could torture her…my bloody Aunt _really _tortured her! In my dining room!There's got to be another person. There is absolutely no way she would agree. No way! No how!_

_Maybe someone who could be paid off would be easier… _

_And less awkward… I mean, she can't be the ONLY Brightest Witch… _

"Mister Malfoy, fate has declared the only mother," Ruby pipes in, seriously, as if tuning in to his thoughts. "And there is only _one _Brightest Witch of our Age, because Hermione Granger is really the Brightest Witch of the Age."

_Did she… read my mind?_ Draco looked at Ruby like a child caught stealing sweets from a sweet shop. He was a very talented Occlumens since the War, yet she picked his brain without him even knowing she was there.

_What's so bad about finding another surrogate?_

"There are disastrous results for choosing the wrong mother for this, I promise you that."

Her eyes shift to an odd red color… deep, like blood…

"_Disastrous_… results…"

If she was meaning to intimidate Draco by her change in eye shade and formidable legilimency, she was succeeding.

"What better witch to have bring our son into the world than Hermione Weasley?" Astoria interjects innocently."I really can't think of one either."

The Malfoy heir groaned once more and grasped his head tightly within his hands in utter defeat. His wife was unknowingly rolling him into an early grave with her naïve comments. Her fading emerald eyes grow large and pleading as she looks into her husband's stormy grey ones.

As he stares into Astoria's eyes, so tired and rimmed with darkened circles, he remembers the true reason why they needed a baby.

When it came down to it, Draco was a spoiled brat. He was born a spoilt child, and continued to be one even until this day, with him already grown into adulthood. Everything was given to him without any effort on his part. His riches, possessions, highly coveted job in the Ministry of Magic, and a beautiful wife, whom he adored.

Once the Bloodless Sickness had reared its ugly head, Draco was thrown into a world he had never experienced before. Now, he had to think about someone other than himself. He had to care for Astoria more than anything else in his own life. She had helped him to become accomplish the impossible.

He had become… a little… unselfish.

Miracles do happen.

The old Draco Malfoy would have laughed in the face of his wife, and walked off, letting her live a life of childless solitude and meet an untimely death alone, rather than father a child with _Hermione Granger_, token muggleborn of his childhood… but the new Draco wanted his wife to be healthy again.

If the abominable mix of Malfoy and Granger-Weasley blood was needed to do so, he would do it for her.

"Fine," Draco grunts quietly. He himself could not believe he was agreeing to something so hopeless, desperate, and insane. "What… next?"

A happy, piercing cry bursts from Astoria like a firecracker, as she turns to the younger of the two crones with eyes wider and brighter than they had been in a long time.

"What must we do next! I believe we are on step two, Ruby!"

Draco is nearly to tears at his newfound misfortune as he silently pouts and allows himself to withdraw from his growing need to perform a Cruciatus curse on the old Seer.

"How will we know if Hermione Granger is really, you know… the surrogate mother that was fortold?"

"Easy!" Ruby's eyes twinkle back to their normal lime-green hue. "All you have to do is ask her if she has the ache. If she does, then you've got yerself a baby…"

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**Next Chapter: A Strange Occurrence in Diagon Alley**

**Hermione was surprised to find her heart beating even faster, and the ache located behind her navel deepening into a feeling of a lovely sort of… of…**

**Satisfaction. **

**It felt like she was lounging on a beach somewhere, warm, and content.**

**In her confusion, she couldn't do anything but stare… **_**at Draco Malfoy**_**.**

**As soon as he was out of her sight, the ache returned, throbbing in emptiness.**

**Hermione suddenly piled her purchased books onto Jamie's torso, and rushed back into the store.**

"**Hold those! I think I need to get a few more books!"**

Please Review! Let me know what you think!

-lems


	4. Diagon Alley Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes

Disclaimer: Harry Potter created by J.K. Rowling.

This is a long story, just warning you. Eventual DM/HG.

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Surrogated Affections

By: lemonmalfoy

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Chapter 4: A Strange Occurrence in Diagon Alley

That blasted ache was still there.

It was in the same spot, pulling harder and more uncomfortably than before, driving her completely loony.

If Hermione were now to describe the feeling, she felt it accurate to compare the magical Baby Ache to having a mountain troll stick its hand in through the belly button and punch it around in the stomach, continuously. The longer she waited, the deeper the ache. Bordering on a week now, it was now becoming painful.

The physical stress the magic was twisting within her was nothing compared to the terrible emotions it brought with it; a hefty mixture of emptiness, loneliness, and a deep, desperate longing for completion.

With all of these factors put into motion, Hermione wondered if morning sickness would be a grateful alternative…

Ron, she figured, had set up camp at the Wheezes, which had her on her way there after her shift was over at the Ministry.

Luckily for her red-headed partner, she had _somehow_ been distracted by the newly posted _Magical Medical Marvels Volume X _sign in the front windows of Flourish and Blotts, and decided to hold off her mission until she had acquired a copy of her favorite book in her most beloved printed series.

_Magical Medical Marvels_ was a brilliant set of books. They consisted of published journals collected from the greatest witches, wizards, and muggle intellectuals ever known. It was her dream to have enough research and data available to have her findings and proven theories (if ever there were any) immortalized in the pages of a _Magical Medical Marvels_ volume.

In her extensive studies of the _Marvels _series, she stumbled across some contributions made by Albus Dumbledore, himself. Hermione greatly enjoyed the accounts of her beloved Headmaster and his many successful experiments with spells that illuminated the magical healing property of Dragon's blood and its uses.

Even Minerva McGonagall managed to have several pages in _Volume VII_ dedicated to her work with the benefits of Transfiguration and makeshift tourniquets for the magical reattachment of severed limbs, if ever there was a need to transfigure anything into makeshift tourniquets to reattach severed limbs… in her life, hopefully, never…

Unfortunately, out of the thousands of articles, she had only managed to find one about the Baby Ache, or_ infantuli condelesco. _It was written by a witch named Ruby P. Whipple who worked at St. Mungo's. This specific healer had already published dozens of journals about magical births and practices. Apparently, Madam Whipple loved muggle doctors in a way that would put even Arthur Weasley to shame. She made many breakthroughs in her field of magical childbirth and child rearing, implementing muggle medical practices with magical healing techniques to ensure success in all her patients.

Whipple had a rather measly page dedicated to her studies involving _infantuli condelesco_…

_Page 1_

_Infantuli condelesco, otherwise known by witches the world over as the _Baby Ache, _or more simply as the_ Ache_;_ _a combination of powerful, natural magic that swirls around a spot behind the navel, making a pocket of magic in which a baby gestates…_

_Symptoms include warm aching sensations throughout the whole body, dizziness, mild allergic reactions to nuts (and pumpkin juice), peaks in irrational behavior due to hormonal imbalances, magic becomes unstable and often manifests itself in accordance to the irrational behavior…_

_The Ache is proven by muggle medical records to be found present in Muggle women who give birth to magical children…_

_Can only be remedied by the conception of the child or death…_

"Argh!" Hermione growls from her perch in the upper level of her beloved bookstore.

She angrily slams the store copy of _Volume IX_ closed; gleaning nothing she didn't already know from its contents. Her mind was starved for more information.

_What __Magical Medical Marvels __failed to mention, and what no one but a witch who's already given birth knows, is that the Baby Ache is only brought about when a baby will be born in the definite future. It's not telling you that your body is ready for pregnancy, but that it most definitely _will_be pregnant. It almost seems as if magic works together with fate to tell you your future witch or wizard will be born soon, so you'd best prepare for it…_

What Molly had said to her back at the Burrow made sense, and she had a feeling that she should trust her wise mother-in-law and let things run their course, but she wanted to know more. She was Hermione Granger-Weasley, after all. Of course she had to know more! It frustrated her to no end that there weren't any more resources available for her to properly research the Ache to further her knowledge on the subject. Without more knowledge, she had absolutely no solutions to her current problems.

She was just stuck…

And terribly… achy…

She didn't like it. Not one bit.

"Mrs. Weasley?" A tender voice full of concern floats up to her ears from the bottom floor. "Are you… alright?"

Hermione takes a moment to adjust her olive colored work robes and bends her upper body over the banister to see a young man with bright blue eyes and terribly unruly, dark hair that stuck up in all directions. Aside from his eye color and lack of trademark circular spectacles, he could pass for a younger version of her dear Harry. Hermione figured that was the reason why she loved the boy so much.

"Oh, Jamie! I'm sorry…" She gathers an armful of books which she had already purchased for her personal library and descends the steps. "I lost myself in my reading for a moment…"

"I do that a lot, too." The boy known as Jamie chuckled gently, carrying a large, deep blue, leather-bound book under his arm. "Here is your _Magical Medical Marvels Vol. X_."

"You are an absolute angel, dear, thank you!" The young Mrs. Weasley flashed a brilliant smile which made the blue-eyed young lad blush slightly. "Now, off to find my wayward husband."

She takes the heavy book from him and tucks it under her arm with the other books she recently bought, using her backside to bump the front door open. As she takes a few steps onto the cobblestones of Diagon Alley, Jamie bursts out of Flourish and Blotts, stopping her in her tracks.

"W-wait Mrs. Weasley!"

"Jamie, you're making me feel old again. How many times have I told you to call me Hermione?"

"Uh, excuse me, Mrs…uhm, Hermione." Jamie clears his throat and runs a hand through his thick mess of hair. "I think you can find more information on the Baby Ache in the, errrm… _Book of Old Witches Tales_…yeah."

"How did you _know_ about that?" Hermione's eyes widened considerably at the blushing young man.

Was she so out of sorts that even the timid bookseller could tell she had the _Ache?_

"You were saying 'ache' and 'infantuli condelesco' over and over again to yourself as you were looking through the aisles…"

Hermione let out a sigh of relief and rested her body against the doorframe of the bookstore. Her dazzling smile returns, bringing a deeper, more pronounced shade of red to spread over Jamie's face. He was obviously a huge fan of hers.

"You scared me for a moment." She laughed, her eyes sparkling. "What is that book about?"

Jamie's blue eyes turn to the floor as he attempts to kick off a stray owl's feather that had attached itself to his pant leg.

"W-well, my grandmother said that all married Witches have one in their possession. It's not proven facts like _Magical Medical Marvels_, but they're more like superstitions and general hearsay stories passed down from many generations of old witches…"

Hermione was still very interested in the book, but she had strangely begun to tune out bookseller. She couldn't hear him over the pulse of blood that was suddenly rushing through her ears.

Why was her heart racing?

_Is someone… casting a spell…?_

For some unknown reason, she felt as if a great force was grabbing at her from behind. Her fingertips began to buzz with energy. Then the sensations spread throughout her entire body, much like the pull of magic when she would perform a highly complicated spell.

She knew that feeling all too well…

Hermione turns her head softly to face the source that was emanating the magic pull she was sensing… and immediately recognized it as the person who stood a little ways from her in the street.

The man's white-blonde hair, cold grey eyes, and unpleasant pointed features were unmistakable to her. He wore a dark suit much like the ones he had in the War, yet his height had changed, and he had filled out to look more like a grown man instead of the skinny, cowardly looking youth she last saw him as.

This wizard, who had bullied her and her friends in school for years, was only steps away from her, pushing a sickly looking woman in a wheelchair; walking… and staring.

He was staring at _her_.

Hermione was surprised to find her heart beating even faster, and the ache located behind her navel deepening into a lovely feeling of… of…

_Satisfaction. _

It was as if she was lounging on a beach somewhere, warm, and content. She could even feel a cool breeze run across her skin and penetrate her body, chilling the dull ache within her…

_What… on… earth!_

In her confusion, she couldn't do anything but stare at the alleged balm for her insufferable aching…

_Draco Malfoy_.

Her longtime schoolyard nemesis locked his steely eyes with hers, and the pleasant feelings skyrocketed to new heights. The power swirling inside of her raged like a hurricane starting in her abdomen, then dispersing throughout her entire body in strong, heaving waves.

The energy was building and building, rising higher and higher until… grey eyes turned away from hers, and he fled, hastily pushing the pale woman as fast as he could in the opposite direction…

As soon as he was out of her sight, the ache returned, throbbing almost painfully with queer sort of emptiness.

Hermione suddenly piled her purchased books onto Jamie's torso, and rushed back into the store.

"Hold those! I think I need to get a few more!"

In a flurry of brown hair and loose parchment, Hermione clamored down the tall aisles of books and tomes. Her hands moving in a blur as she searched for the _Book of Old Witches Tales._

"What…was _that_ about!" She mutters lowly to herself in her search. "Malfoy shows up and I'm magically fine? That doesn't make any sense at all..! There's got to be more information!"

_There!_

Once she had acquired a copy of the old witches tales (which was a little black book with golden writing on it), she immediately paid for it and rushed out the door. She swooped over to where she had left Jamie, swinging the large amount of books from his drooping arms and swiftly packed them in into her favorite beaded purse.

"Thanks a lot, Jamie!" Hermione waves as she scurries away. "See you soon!"

Jamie's cheeks produce another crimson blush as he grins lopsidedly at her retreating figure and sighs.

"She's so odd… and so pretty."

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The famous Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes, Number 93 in Diagon Alley, shone brightly through the hazy darkness of the pouring rain. Hermione held her small bag to her chest as she paused, momentarily, in front of her brother-in-law's joke shop. She was terrified by what she had read on her way to the Wheezes.

Of course she had devoured the contents of the _Book of Old Witches Tales_. As Jamie had predicted, it was brimming with hearsay and superstitions about the Ache…

_The Baby Ache is a simple sign magically given to help bring new witches and wizards to world. _

This she knew…

_When Witches who experience the Ache are placed with the Wizards who will sire their future young, the aching feeling disappears, leaving a full, satisfied feeling where the ache once was…_

_This…_ was a problem.

"That book is absolutely mad. No wonder it is called old witches tales." Hermione chuckles as she puts her hand on the Wizarding Wheezes' gleaming gold door handle. "There is no way the Ache was meant for Malfoy and I. Absurd, preposterous…what a terrible thought."

In the Wizarding War, the Malfoy heir had shown himself to be quite the coward. She thought him despicable and intolerable, even if they did save each other's lives a time or two. Hermione couldn't even fathom a reason why the _infantuli condelesco_ would react in such a way to Malfoy in the way it did.

She was deeply in love with her husband, and it would take a lot more than a stupid ache to change her mind… and Draco Malfoy would most likely prefer the company of a disgruntled Hippogriff instead of being within ten feet of her….

_Imagine that… a first year Malfoy with bushy blonde hair and buck teeth, sporting a darkmark on his raised arm. _

"_Save the House Elves! Kill the mudbloods!" _

_It would be an abomination to all Wizard kind._

_Just forget it… time to get Ron, and be done with this, once and for all…_

Inside of the shop, on the other side of the unopened door, Ronald Weasley looked an absolute wreck.

His neck was frozen in an awkward tilt from spending his nights on the Wheezes employee lounge sofa. The bright colored store frock he wore was disheveled and wrinkled from a week of being unwashed, singed with holes from his carelessness with the new shipment of Wildfire Whizbangs.

He was just glad that it was a slow day for the whole of Diagon Alley with the weather being as shifty as it was…

"Hermione would've mended this by now." Ron sighs to himself, wiggling a finger in one of the holes in his apron.

As if on cue, George Weasley swings himself around the bend just in time to catch his little brother wallowing in helplessness.

Everyone knew that he loved to poke at open wounds.

"Too bad she's gone mental, little brother."

"Yeah, I have nightmares of her stabbing me with daggers that magically appear out of her eyes…"

"Poor Ronnie, popkins…" Ron sneers at George's horrendous pet name, but lets his older brother's arm wrap around his shoulders firmly.

"If I had a beautiful woman like yours _beg_ me to make a baby with her, I would." Ron's eyes narrow as the elder Weasley brother continues with a lascivious grin. "And I have. Little Freddy's the best thing that's come along since Big Freddy. Once Angelina felt the Ache, we went straight to it—"

"Ugh! I do NOT want to hear any of the happenings between you two and your… _business!_" Ron's face twists in disgust. "Besides… I only need a couple more days. Then I think everything will be fine…"

"Is that so? Well, I guess I better leave you and your missus alone, then…"

"Wait…WHAT!" Ron's body twirls desperately to the front entrance of the Wizarding Wheezes to behold his wife, walking towards him.

The red-headed man with the cricked neck and crumpled work robes stands stone-faced to face his wife, conjuring up all the courage within him to calm his shaking body and frazzled nerves. He took a deep breath and focused on maintaining his cool.

_Just broadside her with excuses so she won't have time to kill you. Make her see the awful situation she's put you in! That's always worked for you in the past, old boy…_

Hermione stopped halfway up the stairs once she saw her husband. He was prepared for her face to go red, her mass of hair to stand slightly on end, and then, finally, for her to launch herself at him with claws and teeth bared…

_I am ready to die._

…but she did nothing.

It was then that he noticed a few things different about his dear Hermione.

She didn't look like she wanted to murder him and then celebrate his death happily within the confines of Azkaban.

In fact, his young wife actually looked like she was going to cry.

It was a very strange thing for him to witness. He even rubbed his bad eye a couple times.

She looked as if she hadn't seen him for far more than a week…

Ron also noted, or, much more accurately, _appreciated_, the change in the overall shape of her body. The Hermione before him seemed filled out just slightly, causing his 'missus' to actually look more… womanly?

_Must've gorged herself on mum's cake while I was gone, pining for me, poor thing…_

He thought smugly to himself while a small grin tugged at the corner of his lips.

Hermione stepped forward slightly, but halted once more, looking to the floor as if in deep thought. Ron could see her worry her bottom lip slightly with her teeth, then her eyes made their way to his extremely curious ones. Her tearful gaze was filled with so much longing and… loneliness?

Heavy tracks of water spilled down her cheeks as she ran back down the stairs, her long hair flitting behind her.

"Whoa… what just happened?" George groans disappointedly from his seat on the railing above Ron. His long legs kick restlessly as he cools himself with a folding paper fan that has a smiling face painted on it. The face changes expressions with each downward stroke. "You're not blasted into millions of bits! That's no fun."

"Shut up, you!"

"Hey… that's no way to be talking to your _boss, _Ronniekins."

"Oh, push off, George!"

Ron was deeply confused about the whole scene that had played out in the previous moments.

Hermione had come to the Wheezes.

Hermione looked different.

Hermione didn't mention anything at all about the Ache or any sort of baby business.

Hermione… well… she never talked at all.

She just ran away…

Nothing was adding up for Ron, and he felt something odd brewing in the air.

That was, until he turned around to pursue Hermione, and found himself almost running headlong into her.

"Oh, 'Mione… I was just…"

"How _dare_ you _leave me, _Ronald Weasley! You said you'd never leave me again, you-you-you… liar!"

"What..?"

Ron was even more confused and frustrated than he was before. He knew it was impossible, but the wife in front of him seemed like a different Hermione than the one that begged him with her eyes to hold her tightly and never let go…

No. This one wanted to hold on to his throat tightly and never let go…

"What a mood swing, eh, little brother?" He heard George whisper excitedly above him from his ringside seat.

"Shut it!" Ron said angrily to his goading older brother.

"What..!"

"N-not you Hermione! I-I meant George…"

"Leave George OUT OF THIS."

"Eeep…" Ron let out a frightened whimper much like if one were to accidently sit on a mouse. He swore he could feel the daggers stabbing at him from her eyeballs…

"You've got some nerve to run away from me when we should be _problem solving_." Hermione advances on her reddening husband.

"As I recall, we did problem solve! All the solutions ended up with me being jinxed!" Ron backs up slowly, bumping into various shop displays and joke items, causing wizarding gags to spill on the floor around him.

"Nonsense! I remembered which spell I put on you, and it was not a jinx. It was more like one of those old fashioned curses put on pharaohs' tombs to protect them from looters..."

"Yeah, that makes it loads better…"

Hermione waves her hand to dissipate the potential off track conversation.

"Anyways, Harry's still at the Ministry now," She says matter-of-factly. "He said he might've found us a nice flat near him. Just ask him if he can give you a place in the Auror Division. Then we can be off getting rid of my _infantuli condelesco, _with all of your precious bits in place…"

"Excuse me… your _what?"_

"The Baby Ache."

"Oh. Well, I don't think Harry can help, seeing as I've already asked him for help more than I ask my mum to bake chocolate cake. I promise you everything will be fixed if you give me just a few more days…"

"Ronald! I honestly CAN'T wait that long!" Hermione screamed at him with all the force she could muster until her face was pink all over.

She just knew it was a magical hiccup that caused her to feel wonderful around Malfoy. She was going to make sure that by pressuring Ron, she was not having a child with the wrong slimy git…

Ron looked like a cornered rat. He was stuck between a wall and another wall which was named Hermione Jean Weasley.

Her hair was beginning to stand on end, and the magic flowing around her was shaking the shelves, sending jars of U-No-Poo whizzing through the air. Ron tripped on some of the Trick Wands that he had knocked over, and he fell squarely on his bottom.

"Ouch!" He hisses.

In the younger Weasley brother's efforts to scramble onto his feet, he accidently activates the Trick Wands, and they promptly begin to beat him about the head and shoulders. In the midst of his entrapment and beating, Ron's eyes turn pleadingly upwards to his older brother who raised his hands in surrender above his head.

"Don't look at me!" George laughs, obviously enjoying the entertaining position his hopeless brother was entangled in. "

"You know she'll get you to do whatever she wants anyways…" George whispers the last part, for fear of bringing the deadly Witch's wrath upon himself. "I'd hop it if I were you. She's blowing up my merchandise…"

Ron swats off the last of the attacking wands, and nods to his brother in agreement of his suggestion.

"I'm sorry Hermione… you'll understand in a couple of days. I promise…" And with that, Ron shuts his eyes and is gone in a blink and a loud crack, leaving a very angry Hermione to process her predicament.

"Where did he disapparate to?" She cries, eyeing her brother-in-law and angrily clenches her fists.

"No idea." George was glad he was up top. It felt like a safe distance away from the fuming witch who was now stifling sobs with one of her olive sleeves. "Why don't you go home and get some rest? It'll help."

Hermione grasps her midsection and curses all of magic for the ridiculous things witches had to go through in order to become mothers.

The troll punches were back in full force, knocking the wind out of her.

"Can… I use your floo?" Hermione asks weakly, sounding very put out. "The Baby Ache makes Apparition, and anything magic-related for that matter, impossible..."

"Sorry, my dear-in-law. Haven't had a working floo since the Deatheaters made rubbish of it eight years ago."

"Really? Of all the rotten luck…" She sounded as bad as she looked. Her hair had deflated itself once more of energy, and drops of liquid now leaked from her eyes onto her olive colored work robes.

"I'll just use the one in Flourish and Blotts then."

George took pity on her, leaping to his feet to retrieve a large black umbrella that hung near him. He slid down the stairs and patted his pitiful looking sister-in-law reassuringly, slipping the hook of the umbrella into her shaking hands.

"Thanks." Hermione laughs softly, tears still falling. "I'm sorry for the trouble, George."

"Don't think on it. Remember…" He gathered her face into his large hands and leveled her eyes to his. "You may be the Brightest Witch of our Wizarding Age married to the biggest thickhead around, but he won't let you down."

With that, he brought her cheek to his lips for a small peck.

"Now, send my love to mum!"

Then he ushered her cheerfully out of the front door and into the bucketing rain so he could clean up the generous mess she left behind.

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_Click. Clack. Click. Clack._

The noise of Hermione's heels resounded in harmony with the patter of the rain as she travelled along the deserted street way of Diagon Alley. Her hands tightly clutched her borrowed umbrella close to her body as water ran in thick rivulets down its black material. The lamp posts in the street flickered to life, signaling the end of lighted day.

Ron was gone to who knows where, and the Wizarding world's favorite Witch was left with a tremendous, now stinging ache.

_You may be the Brightest Witch of our Wizarding Age married to the biggest thickhead around, but he won't let you down._

_He… won't let you down…_

The fact that he had run away from her yet again wasn't what was bothering her.

It was the tidbit where the bloody _condelesco _was still _condelesco-ing_ when she was in the presence of her husband that truly did her in.

Hermione took a deep breath and stopped herself for a moment to rest under the entryway of a random shop. She peered over the corner and looked into the distance.

Flourish and Blotts seemed so far away.

Maybe Jamie would still be there, and she could talk to him about what was troubling her. He was a bright lad, and she enjoyed his company…

Before she could venture forward out of the dry doorway, and onto the wet street, she heard something roll beneath her and hit the door behind her with a _ping!_

Hermione turned toward to the door and peered down.

At her feet lay a small, silver baby's rattle that glittered with a faint glow.

"Now… where did _you _come from..?" She speaks to it with peaked curiosity, bending down slowly to pick the shining object up.

Right as her fingers reach the mysterious child's toy, she hears the click of the door handle above her. Her brown eyes dart up to the sound, and before she can react, she is pushed strongly from behind, her body now hurtling itself through the silvery doorway.

Hermione moans uncomfortably into the cold floor as she finds herself sprawled embarrassingly in an unknown room. She pushes herself lethargically from the ground, sitting up to see that the strange place she had landed in was filled with very cozy looking wooden chairs...

"Granger?"

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**Next Chapter: Problem Solving in Diagon Alley**

"**Your wife…" Hermione speaks gently, her body still turned away from him. "She has the Bloodless Sickness…"**

"**Yes. ... how did you know?"**

"I read all about it in _**Magical Medical Marvels**_**…"**

"**Figures." Draco's expression stays solemn and serious. "Listen, this child could mean the difference between life and death…"**

**Hermione, without thought for her actions, tenderly rubbed her stomach as the pleasing feelings swirled about within.**

"**Like I said… I can give you anything you want." Malfoy shot out in fenced in desperation. **

"**I… can't. I have important work at the ministry. I have a husband who wouldn't, as you know, allow this to happen. There isn't any time for me to birth a secret child for you…"**

"**If I took care of all those things somehow… would you agree to be the surrogate mother?"**

**The more Hermione thought about it, the more the Ache ebbed away.**

"**You really are serious about this…" **

Sorry the pace is so slow… One more chapter being finished as soon as possible!

Don't worry about the "mood swing" Hermione and disconnected, seemingly unrelated happenings...

All will make sense in the later chapters… promise.

HUGE thank you to

Maya Nott

Silverlovedragoness

Thesistersblack4498

Nature_love_95

BuzzCat

Dark-lelu

For your kind reviews! Fuel for the motivation fire!

Everybody else, don't be afraid to Review if you like it!

Thank you for your interest and time!

-lems (dramione lives)


	5. Problem Solving in Diagon Alley

Disclaimer: Harry Potter created by J.K. Rowling.

This is a long story, just warning you. Eventual DM/HG.

Trying to stay as close to canon as possible…

One could say I'm trying to…

Rewrite HISTORY, [evil laughter].

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Surrogated Affections

By: lemonmalfoy

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Chapter 5: Problem Solving in Diagon Alley

_Hermione Weasley, formerly Granger was voted by ninety-five percent of our readers to be Witches Weekly's Brightest Witch of the Age, an award given every fifty years to the Wizarding World's most influential and beloved witch. The brains behind the downfall of the Dark Lord, Hermione Weasley has captured the world's full attention and adoration! According to many of her Hogwarts schoolmates, she was coincidently dubbed by many of her professors, the "Brightest Witch of Her Age". Her brilliance started early, when she was able to perform highly complicated spells that we could only _dream _about at a tender young age… Of course, everyone in the wizarding world knows that she is best friends with the Boy Who Lived Twice, Harry Potter. When asked about her famous best friend, she replied, "I love him more than anything. He is the kindest, most unselfish, most forgiving person I know. Only a person like that can do the things that he's done…" When questioned further about her lightning scarred chum's favorite color, she humbly replied, "How should I know? Shouldn't you be doing an interview with him instead of me?"_

"Ugh! Why am I reading this rubbish?"

Draco sat in the Mother of Pearl's deserted waiting room. The sudden downpour had himself and Astoria taking refuge in the waiting room until it let up. Ruby and Hannah had disappeared an hour ago, with the scarlet-haired witch vowing to retrieve something that would aid him in his new quest…

His quest to make a baby with Hermione Granger.

A predicament that was laughable, really.

Never in a million years could he have seen that little plot twist coming.

Unfortunately, a ragged, straggly, needle-eyed, decrepit, old bat did.

_On this eve… Seek after the brightest witch…of the age…_

He turned the Witches Weekly within his hands so that he could have a better view of the only wretched witch in the whole wretched world that could solve all his wretched problems. Every now and again, her picture would tip her head down, while her clear, mirth-filled eyes demurely held his attention.

He was entirely grateful that the old Seer and Healer had pledged their all into helping this surrogate process along… because he knew that convincing Granger (he would never get used to calling her Weasley) would be impossible by himself. The only thing that could get Hermione Granger to be magically impregnated by Draco Malfoy would be … well… he couldn't even think of anything, besides an extra strength Imperius Curse, that would be able to sway the immovable 'Brightest Witch of the Age'. Especially where _he_ was concerned…

Not that he _wanted _her to say _yes_.

Draco was actually hoping that Hermione would say _no_, and then no one could ever accuse him of not _trying…_

They could all go back home and hide in the comfort of the shady Malfoy Estate, alone and unbothered by people who hated him for his terrible mistakes and far away from ironically cruel prophecies…

_You bloody coward. Your wife needs you to show some backbone._

His eyes were drawn once more to the paperbound Hermione who smiled at him with an honest, humble grace that reminded him of the innocence that she had back in the years he had known her. He took the magazine and threw it on the floor with an exasperated sigh.

He didn't deserve another selfless sacrifice on his behalf from a person like Granger, anyways…

"_Hey, Granger! I know you hate me, but could you carry my child for nine months and then give him to my wife and I to keep so I can have an heir, she can be healed, and you can have only the pains of childbirth?"_

"_Why yes, Malfoy! I would appreciate it very much!"_

_Not, bloody likely._

Finally, the door to Ruby's office swung open, interrupting Draco's thoughts, and the two old witches hobbled out, cackling along the way.

"Remember the time Milton dropped his frog into the cauldron?"

"That was absolutely brilliant! Mucky Mildred volunteered to test his potion in front of the class and, and—"

"SHE WAS GREEN FOR A MONTH!" Ruby and Hannah screamed in unison, screeching and clapping their hands together.

"Serves her right! She was always going on about her complexion being flawless on account of her _veela blood…_"

"I never believed that one bit!"

"Aubergine Hughes believed her."

"Aubergine Hughes believed _every_one."

"She was with Slughorn, last I heard! He said so himself!"

"Ruby, you liar!"

Draco shut his eyes slumped further down into his chair with an exasperated heave. Apparently the Healer and the Seer were old schoolmates at Hogwarts. Very _old _schoolmates. Once he slid himself into an upright position, he decided to course-correct the giggling old crones.

"Did you find it?"

Ruby stopped her chatting and turned slowly to the young Mr. Malfoy with an expression on her face that looked as if she was pulling out a very large draw pin from her side.

"Oh, crickets! I must've forgotten it. You stay here, Hannah! You're much too fun to talk to!" She laughs and playfully punches Draco in the chest while she passed him, vanishing into her office once more.

"Merlin… wonder where the old bird gets her strength…" Draco grimaces, a hand flying to the tender spot on his upper body. Hannah shrugs her black-ragged shoulders in response, and immediately summons a green bottle to her lips.

"I know where _you_ get _yours_…" Draco comments in revulsion.

He turns his pocket out to retrieve a small, black book with a golden Ministry of Magic seal on the cover. As he opens it, his weary eyes adjust slowly to see the large, scrawling letters he had penned earlier that morning at work on a bookmarked page.

_9:00 Check on Johnson and his work with new Time-Turners._

That was a big event.

Since all the Time-Turners had been destroyed at the Ministry several years ago, he, as overseer of Magical Item Development in the Department of Mysteries, was recently given the task to replenish the stores of Time-Turners and other items lost in the duration of the Wizarding War.

Thaddeus R. B. Johnson was a Wizard genius kept secret from the world by the Ministry of Magic for many reasons _unknown_. A rare breed of intelligence that dipped into the Muggle World as well as the Wizarding World, having been educated at Hogwarts with top marks and then furthered his education at the University of Cambridge. He was an older gentleman who preferred to wear strange muggle jumpers and slacks instead of work robes and suits, but chose to sport a grey, pointed wizard cap atop his head. Draco guessed that it was to hide the bald spot which lay beneath it…

Thaddeus now served as the brilliant Head of the Magical Artifact Reproduction Team who was recruited by Draco to reproduce any items within the Ministry's care that had been damaged or destroyed; Time Turners being amongst the more difficult to construct items.

"_Johnson! They were supposed to be finished and archived by now. Who thought Time-Turners to be too hard for a gifted wizard like yourself…" _

"_Ah! These are no ordinary Time-Turners, Mr. Malfoy! They are the most precise, and accurate, time-manipulating devices that can alter years, be it forward, or back..."Professor Johnson's face radiated with pride, his bushy white eyebrows rose into his small grey wizard cap. His wild silver hair puffed in an impressive, curly bouquet around his smiling face. _

"_We'll be adding an outer ring with a self-adjusting calendar on it… for easier access to jump in and back out of time. I even had the dials casted out of pure chrononite! With this device, people will be less likely to erase their existences when traversing through time—"_

"_Unfortunately, we'll never use them. The ministry has given us strict orders to merely replace the lot, and ignore them."_

"_A crying shame, really. I wish they could be of some use instead of being locked up in the Time Chamber gathering dust. Maybe sometime I could show you how it works. I've improved upon the last design immensely. Took a few trips to the '89 World Quidditch finals… you know, strictly for scientific research…"_

"_Yes, yes, I know. Presently, I have an important engagement that I need to prepare for, so you have until tomorrow to finish the final model."_

"_Yes sir!"_

Draco liked to work with the odd man. He was a pleasant yet adventurous fellow, regrettably very Gryffindor-like, with a mild disregard for the rules, which made for a lot of fun without any of the blame. Not to mention the fact that working with a Wizard such as the mysterious Thaddeus R. B. Johnson gave him more than enough clout and notice around the workplace…

Ruby's door burst open once more (Draco had a feeling she did that often) and she rushed to the side of the nearly-drunken Hannah, slapping the bottle from her lips. The sudden movement of the green bottle splattered liquid onto her stringy white hair and weathered face.

"Hannah! You're right! It wasn't Slughorn! It was Flimsy!"

Hannah's gnarled hands try to pat off as much spilt spirits as possible as she shakes her head in disagreement.

"Charlie? Charlie Flimsy? I doubt it. He don't deserve her."

_Not this again…_

The sole male in the room shifted his eyes from his appointment book to his wife, who had silently slipped into a gentle doze next to him. It was a fantastic day for her, but it had also taken much of her strength. The wrinkled duo's plan had been to wake her once the rain died down, and then they would see if Hermione Weasley was still in Diagon Alley… then Ruby remembered something she had tucked away in her office that may be of some profound use to him.

"I swear it was Charlie. But, why'd I remember Horace saying that to me?"

"You still have tea with him at Hogwarts?"

"Of course, he's one of my oldest friends!"

He slowly began to learn that whenever the two old bits began to talk about their younger years, their focus was chucked out of the window. It was starting to grate on Draco's last nerve.

"Hello… excuse me. Sorry for interrupting your little _reunion_," He interjects hastily. The look on his face and biting sarcasm in his voice showed that he wasn't 'sorry' at all.

"But, what is it exactly that you've been searching for all this time, and how will it help me solve my _problem?_"

Ruby and Hannah bring their wrinkled hands into their laps and smile crookedly at the extremely annoyed Mr. Malfoy.

"Problem? What problem, dear?" Her lime-green eyes flip innocently towards him as she put a small finger thoughtfully to her chin.

"Even if we manage to find her tonight, she would never, EVER agree to do such a thing for me, I know that much."

"What? You're a right handsome fellow, Mr. Malfoy, even with your hairline receding a wee bit." Ruby's comment causes Draco's hands to subconsciously shoot to the roots of his hair. "What is there _not _to like in a young man, such as yourself..?"

"You've known me at my worst, Ruby. You know what I've done…" Draco's grey eyes look away from her as he felt the familiar burn of guilt and shame in his chest.

"I do… but I do know that since then, you've tried to repair the damages of your mistakes..."

"Yeah. Good. Try telling Granger that."

"It's Weasley—"

Draco cuts her short with narrowed eyes and a pointed finger.

"I will NEVER call her that. Hermione Granger will always be Hermione Granger. I owe it to my old nemesis to keep her unaffiliated with that stupid Weaselbee oaf, even if she's married to him."

Ruby looks at his threatening digit and laughs.

"You're a strange boy, Mr. Malfoy, but I still like you. Hannah and I will not rest until you gain your heir."

"Hey! Stop signing me up fer everything! I didin say yes the firs' time!"

"Oh hush, Hannah, it's something better to do than hang about all day drinking and waiting for sickels and knuts to be thrown your way."

Hannah shrugs her shoulders in response and suddenly her head rolls back against the chair. Ruby and Draco stop and stare at her until she begins to snore. She drank herself to sleep, apparently.

"Some help you are…" Ruby sighs at her wheezing friend.

"I'm telling you…" Draco continues. "Granger would never…" He murmurs downheartedly. He meant to say it in with a condescending tone, but it accidently came out in a way that made Ruby's heart turn into butter. He sounded so helpless.

"Show some courage, Mr. Malfoy! Didn't I say we would take care of you?" She smiles and pats his back; gently this time.

"And… what if it's _not _Hermione Granger? Is there still some glorious chance it won't be her?" He carefully tuned into the right timbre for his usual condescending tone.

"I told you, already. Disastrous results! If you don't choose the one who the prophecy said fate chose for you, bad things will happen. I've seen them before!" Ruby's bright eyes cloud over once more. Draco hated when they did that. He found her quite frightening already without the blood red eyes boring holes into him…

Ruby had said disastrous results would befall them if they were to find another surrogate rather than the one foretold by the rotted, old Seer.

What are those disastrous results? Would the child be at risk? Would Draco and all involved be at risk?

_Or worse… would our son come out a squib?_

_There has to be a loophole to the prophetic vision... the Dark Lord could have chosen Neville Longbottom over Harry Potter, after all. _

_For being the most powerful dark wizard on the planet, he sure was daft. _

But, the prophecy was so _specific,_ it didn't feel like there was any squeeze room for him to get past the whole impregnating Hermione Granger bit.

_For none other will the paths of destiny align for the House of Malfoy…on this eve… seek after…the brightest witch… of the age…_

"You will definitely find your surrogate mother on this eve, as Hannah said. And she will have the Ache." Her eyes hadn't turned crimson. Draco gave a sigh of relief.

"Then I don't have much time to seek out another witch, besides Granger, who has the bloody Baby Ache..?"

"Don't get cold feet on my now…" Ruby sighs, tapping the arm of her chair with her nails. "Just wait for a moment."

"What do you mean?"

"Be patient."

Draco pouts very much like a child would, with a huff and a frown. It is at this time that he decides to let go of his anger and inspect his wife.

She slept gracefully in her wheel chair, her cheeks glowing with a tiny tinge of pink. He reckoned the brief show of pigment on his wife's face was a huge improvement. Usually the Bloodless Sickness stole it all away by now. He took a long, pale finger and affectionately traced it over the rose colored skin.

Draco's eyes softened as he listened to her gentle breathing, but as he lifted his fingertip from her cheek, the color faded rapidly and the napping witch jolted forward.

"Did we find her!" Astoria screams, a crazed look in her eyes. The jeweled butterflies on her head flit rapidly, moving unnaturally fast in time with her heart. "She will give me a baby! A bright son!"

He knew that voice, tinged with hysteria and delirium. It was the sickness wicking away her magical blood…

"Ruby!" Draco pleaded as he steadies his convulsing wife by grasping her arms. "Please!"

"I want to see him! Not you, Draco! I want to _see_ _him…!_" Astoria laughs darkly as her body begins to seize up in his hold. Her cheeks now took on the appearance of thin paper, and her veins, now ashy grey, were visible just below the skin.

The scarlet-haired witch nodded and reached in to her robe pocket to retrieve her wand.

"Someone's outside!" Hannah exclaims in the midst of the madness, having been awoken from her sleep.

The silver painted front door bursts open soon after her cry, and a sharp spray of warm rain pelts all occupants of the waiting room before it slams closed. Astoria twitches in Draco's arms as he recovers from the sudden shock that the front door had bestowed upon him. Water from the outside drips from his hair and his pointed nose as he tips his head downwards to view a dark mass of hair, and soaked, olive-colored dress robes…

His eyes grew wide, and he was more frightened than surprised by who it was, moaning in pain on the floor in front of him.

_Merlin…my time is up…_

"Granger?"

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"Granger?"

Hermione's eyes didn't have to see the person who called her by her former name…

She could _feel _him.

Warm, sunny, relaxing on a bed of plush pillows with a good book of nonfictional value… a long stretch after a well-deserved nap… cool wisps of wind chilling the painful tremors instantaneously…

_Completion._

"M-Malfoy?" Hermione's voice sounded extremely nervous, yet her insides wrongly shudder in relief. "Where—"

"Nnguhh!" Astoria's hair color begins to drain from the roots, becoming as deathly pale as her face. "My little one…where is he..?"

She struggles feebly in within Draco's hold, her hands reaching towards an invisible bundle in the air before

Her dull eyes suddenly drift shut, and her head rolls limply to her shoulder.

"_Sanguify_."

Ruby's voice fills the room as she performs her spell.

Hermione watches in wonder as a bright white line that connected to Draco and his wife's forearms began to glow red. It was the first time she had ever seen a magical blood transfusion spell in person. Only a powerful healer could execute a successful procedure…

She witnesses the effects of the spell as color eases its way back onto the pale woman's frail frame.

_I know this healer…_

The old witch with the spectacular red-curled beehive on her head, and kind lime-green eyes looked very memorable to Hermione. She extended a boney hand and administered a small vial of potion to the woman now slumbering peacefully in Malfoy's arms.

"You're Ruby P. Whipple!"

Hermione was elated as she rose from the floor and shot herself over to Ruby, who was wiping the sweat from her brow with her wand in hand. She was the perfect witch to ask for more information on certain… _bothersome _complications…

"My name is Hermione Weasley, and I've read all of your journals in _Magical Medical Marvels_! I'm honored for the opportunity to meet a witch such as yourself! Is this clinic yours..? Maybe you could answer a few of my questions regarding _infantuli condelesco_…"

"My, my… you really are an inquisitive witch, aren't you, Mrs. Weasley?" Ruby readjusts her lime-green robes and throws a knowing glance in Malfoy's direction. He sneers at her as he nestles a calm Astoria back into her chair.

"I just have a few concerns. You see, there is so little of your research available in the_ Marvels _texts…"

"And you want to know if that _Baby Ache _you're feeling is broken?"

"How did you know that I have the—" Hermione steps back, fear present in her eyes. Even Draco's eyes shot to the two witches' conversation, terrified.

_So… Granger does have the Ache…_

"In all of my research, Infantuli condelesco never makes mistakes. It is a brand of magic that transcends anything on this earthly plane… there is a reason why you feel at ease when in the presence of your childhood enemy." A brief pause for maximum dramatic effect, and then she continued, much to the dismay of the horrified Hermione and Draco.

"Fate has chosen you to be the mother of his child."

Hermione's belly jerked of its own accord at her words. Her hands flew to her stomach, trying to squeeze the magic of the Baby Ache out of her in desperation.

"I… I don't believe that at all!" She didn't sound too convincing, as the pleasant mixture of sensations within her filled her with relaxation and enjoyment. "There's no proof the Ache is for… for him!"

Hermione stands petrified as she watches the small healer produce a small spherical container with a swirling white mist within its confines seemingly out of nowhere.

"Courtesy of my friend over there, Hannah Truelock. It is a prophecy she gave just today, which we believe, involves you."

With shaking hands, she takes the small orb and presses her fingers tentatively around it with bated breath. Then, she could hear it whisper to her in an unfamiliar voice…

_What is sought by the House of Malfoy… a child of healing. A son, to shine through darkness and sins past. Fate's aching brings forth his mother on this eve…seek after the brightest witch of the age to give birth to hope and love renewed, to dispel a future of death and evil. For none other will the paths of destiny align for the House of Malfoy…on this eve… seek after…the brightest witch… of the age…_

The Ache stirred even more at the close of the prophecy, as if moving in approval of the prophetic words, which made her heart plummet into her stomach. In her brief silence, Draco takes pity upon her, and decides that she needs an explanation.

"Granger… I don't expect you to understand it, but…"

"Obviously it is the _eve_, and the _Brightest Witch of the Age_ has _Fate's aching_, Malfoy! What more is there to understand?" She bites back with a harsh tone, much like a scared, wounded animal. " I _knew _I shouldn't have accepted that stupid award! I've _always_ hated Witches Weekly..!"

"Will you listen to me! As much as I hate you, you're the only one in the world who could give me a baby!"

"Why would I do that? I already have a husband! And I would never be unfaithful to him, also he'd never allow this... and you said so yourself… you HATE me!" The feelings within her jump and beat around while she tries to keep her outward appearance composed, albeit angry. Draco was rapidly losing hope, and patience, until he found Ruby by his side, tenderly touching his shoulder with a soft hand.

"Be honest." She cautions him in a hushed tone. He nods to her, gratefully, loosening his tensed shoulders.

"Please… Granger. Just hear me out." Draco implores, his so voice full of supplication that it whisks Hermione away from her anxiety high. She hated how his voice was having a profound effect upon her ache…

"My wife... Astoria," He motions a stark hand towards his bedraggled, pale wife breathing shallowly in the chair next to Hermione. "She needs the child prophesied by the Seer… the _child of healing_, or I fear she will die. You are the only hope I have to keep her alive. She… is my only friend in the world. I will give you anything you want if you'd just…"

As he trailed off into silence, Hermione felt her heart beat with a saddened compassion and rise high in her chest. She had never, in all her years of knowing the _ferret_, heard anything so sincere come from his lips. In his words, she could sense the honesty, helplessness and fear. Surprisingly, she also detected… love. It was so uncharacteristic of the Draco Malfoy she knew at Hogwarts, that it forced her to contemplate if she was in a dream, instead of standing, soaking wet, in a strange place, being told that she was to be the mother of his son. It was at that instant that Astoria stirred from her slumber. She looked at Hermione, and once she realized that she herself wasn't dreaming, began to sob, weakly. Her voice carried barely louder than a whisper.

"Draco… darling… she's here."

Hermione's breath caught in her throat as she viewed the candid moment between the two Malfoys. Draco's eyes weren't looking at her, but she could see so many emotions warring within them as he took a moment to kneel down and grasp his beloved's delicate hands.

"Astoria, please don't speak. We need you to rest now for the journey home."

"I know," Astoria's eyes sparkle with her tears. "I probably was going mad when she was here… so I… I want to say…tell her I'm sorry…"

Draco hushed his sobbing partner by kissing her forehead tenderly. "She didn't see anything. Just rest."

"You need to tell her about the prophecy, and our son."

"I will. Please, sleep."

If this were to go on any longer, Hermione thought that her heart would burst in her chest from being so full of sympathy and sadness for Malfoy and his dear wife. Between her bursting heart and the swarming Ache, she was fighting a losing battle to say 'no'… but she wasn't just some Slytherin who had no problem lying to the people she loved, even if it was for a good cause… even if it was to save someone's life… she needed to do more research.

"I'll give her a sleeping draught so she won't wake up and rattle herself around." Ruby reaches into her medical pouch and the clinking of glass can be heard as she fetches the draught for Astoria, who is now peacefully napping in her chair.

"Thank you, Ruby."

Draco was surprised at the weakness that he was showing in front of the muggleborn witch who stared strangely at him. He turned his head from her to hide his embarrassment, but aside from being extremely ashamed…. he really did speak the truth, and he felt that he had put forth his best effort to convince Granger for his wife's good.

Hermione bit her lip in concentration.

Is this how Harry felt when he went to sacrifice his life for the lives of others countless times? Granted, she really wasn't _sacrificing _her life, and the Malfoys were only two people out of the entire world, but she supposed that the feeling was similar to that of her uncommonly selfless friend. It was a terrifying feeling, yet, it was also better than anything in the world…

_Ron. I love Ron more than anything…he would never forgive me…_

"There is a way to magically impregnate you without being unfaithful to your spouse." Ruby's voice breaks through her thoughts.

"_Magical adiuvo suppono gravida_.. Surrogate Impregnation…" Hermione's voice cracks in wonderment.

"Well done! And as I'm sure you're aware of, I am the foremost expert on the procedure." Ruby takes the prophecy from the younger witch's hands and pats her flushed cheek. "All the pain and shifts in your magic will go away. You just have to say 'yes' to Mr. Malfoy, and we'll begin…"

Hermione's mind became muddled as heaven swirled within her being. More warmth… more elation…

She wraps her arms around her abdomen and turns her back to Malfoy to try and quell the feelings that she painfully registered, sprung up because of the tall, fair-haired man.

"Your wife…" Hermione speaks gently, her body still turned away from Draco and Ruby. "She has the Bloodless Sickness?"

"Yes. ... how did you know?" Draco responds, staring a hole into her mass of wet curls. She was even more perceptive than he remembered her to be in school.

"I read all about it in _Magical Medical Marvels_…" She says in turn, her voice sounding far away and aloof.

"Figures." Draco's expression stays solemn and serious. "Listen, this child could mean the difference between life and death…"

Hermione, without thought for her actions, tenderly rubbed her stomach as the pleasing feelings swirled about within.

"Like I said… I can give you anything you want." Malfoy shot out in fenced in desperation due to her immediate silence. He didn't know that she was already thinking about _everything…_

"I… can't."

"But you are the _only one_ who can give us what we need!" He nearly yells, his face becoming flushed.

"I'm so sorry, Malfoy. I told you… I have important work at the ministry. I have a husband who wouldn't, as you know, allow this to happen. There isn't any time for me to birth a secret child for you, you know—"

"If I took care of all those things somehow, would you agree to be the surrogate mother?" Draco says quickly.

The more Hermione thought about it, the more the Ache ebbed away.

"You really are serious about this…" She suddenly states as she leans on her heel to turn back to Draco.

"Alright… I will give you one day to come up with a plan to make this work."

Draco's heart tingles with hope. Then Hermione marches up to him and points a slender finger near his pointed nose with stern, narrowed eyes.

"You have only one chance to convince me. If I don't like any part of it, _any part of it…_I will not do anything for you."

"Understandable. Would you like to discuss this tomorrow over tea at the Manor then?" Despite the threatening finger that was now turned on himself, Mr. Malfoy began to feel a heaviness slowly lift from his shoulders.

"Will I have your word that you won't kidnap me and force me to have the baby against my will?" Her finger shook menacingly.

"It is appalling that you'd think I would do anything of the sort. Besides… I don't recall ever liking you enough to _force_ you to have _my _child..." Draco snorted in reply.

"Tomorrow, the Malfoy Manor. Dead on five O'clock." Hermione ignored his snide remark and straightened her olive robes.

"I'll leave the floo open for your arrival, if you like."

"Thank you, I would very much appreciate it." She finds George's umbrella and gives it a good shake before she prepares to head towards the floo of Flourish and Blotts, giving Draco a nod, and reaching her free hand to grasp Ruby's in enthusiasm. "I hope that we can talk more extensively later… one day I hope to follow in your brilliant, brilliant footsteps. Truly was an honor!"

Ruby's red curled beehive shakes as Hermione's eager handshake grows violent as she is lost in her excitement. The older woman laughs and stills the younger one's hands.

"I look forward to it, Mrs. Weasley! Now be on your way and get some rest."

"Alright, till tomorrow, then." Hermione smiles as she turns the silvery door handle and pushes her way out, stopping half way to twist around and poke her finger once more through the door. Her smile turned into a stern glare in his direction.

"Remember! One chance, Malfoy!"

_Slam!_ The door shook in her wake as she exited the Mother of Pearl. Waking Hannah once more from her drunken stupor… until she falls back into sleep a moment later.

"She's as mule-headed as she was in school… " Draco sighs. "Ruby, please, _please_ tell me you have a plan…"

"All you need is a little _luck._" Ruby laughs.

"That's… all you have to say? I just need a little _luck_!" The pale wizard groans, tapping his aching forehead with his long fingers. "I haven't a chance, then…"

"Stop acting like a baby, Mr. Malfoy… I told you before that I had something, didn't I?" Ruby smiles, producing a small, gleaming vial within the grasp of her sharp nails. Upon closer inspection, the small glass vial contained a swirling, pearlescent liquid that resembled… molten gold…

Draco had seen this potion only once before. It had barely slipped through his grasp in his sixth year at Hogwarts.

His heart began to blaze with excitement and hope…

"_Felix Felicis."_

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**Next Chapter: Lucky Tea at the Manor**

"**Duck brows."**

"**Duck… brows..?"**

"**Yeah, the brows that are… duck looking."**

"**You, Mr. Malfoy…" Johnson squints his eyes at the rather tipsy Department Head. "Are… a GENIUS. I was thinking the same thing! We'll add duck brows!"**

A big thank you once more to those of you who commented and especially to all who are reading my story!

**gwyyn**- I will try to make it Dramione believable, as much as possible. Thanks for the well wishes!

**tfobmv18- **Thanks! I hope you keep on reading!

**wickedsoulx- **I hope I'll be able to cover all of those concerns of yours! I appreciate your comments and help!

**al2010- **Thanks for your motivation! I look forward to making it more interesting for your reading pleasure!

**Thesistersblack4998- **Love your pen name! Thanks for your comments and support as well as the help! (I don't know why I typed Jane instead of Jean! But thanks for catching that error! =_=;)

**tomgirl1219- **haha! I'm glad you enjoyed the mini-Malfoy! That was my favorite part! Jamie is going to play a big part in the story, so I'm glad you like him so far! Thanks for your interest and kind comment!

Thanks to all!

The next chapters will be shorter… I promise!

-Lems


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